Where
in the Ether is Willow the Seeker?
By Charlene Alaimo
To:
Seeker College Disciplinary Council
From: Guidance Councilor GOK
Re: Willow the Seeker (Summer School Make-Up Site)
Date: Mabon/Autumnal Equinox
Fellow Council Members:
As we welcome the arrival of new Seekers to school, we must continue to nurture and help those existing students who may be failing. Placing a student on temporal probation is not an easy decision. I found myself in this position with Willow the Seeker. Besides the make-up assignment, it was suggested that she may require a tutor. If this action becomes necessary, I have the perfect candidate for the job. My sister’s son, Mack E. Bellie, majors in “Magical Manipulations of the Mayans,” maintains the highest grade point average at Seeker College, and has a Leeds Devil (commonly known as the Jersey Devil) as his personal guide. If Willow’s grades fall below acceptable levels, my nephew is willing to be her tutor.
It appears that his services are not needed (for now).
Let us look at the results from the make-up Sacred Site that Willow was given over summer vacation. This was her chance to improve her grade point average. Her assignment was her very first “HOOT” (Historically Out-Of-Time) Sacred Site. I made this site especially hard in order to see if she and her fellow Junior Seekers (JS) had improved their seeking skills.
I am surprised and shocked by their combined answers. Considering Willow’s past responses, I was expecting an answer like Hawaii or Mount Fuji, or--gods and goddesses forbid--Coney Island. Instead, three sites were submitted by Willow, two from Junior Seekers and one from herself. Maggie suggested Pompeii, Italy (a very logical and well thought out choice, I must say). Jenny, a silver star JS, suggested the island of Atlantis. Willow’s answer was the Island of Thera or Santorini, Greece.
Mount Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii--a volcano helped to destroy Atlantis
The correct answer, of course, is Atlantis--with a twist.
The
Greek philosopher, Plato wrote the oldest account of Atlantis around 370 BC.
Plato says that Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, had been given an island
located in the middle of an ocean near the Pillars of Hercules. This god fell
in love with a mortal woman named Cleito. As a wedding gift, he carved out of
the island’s mountain a beautiful palace for her. The palace was surrounded
by three moats each larger than the last. Rings of land separated each moat.
Bridges and a canal were built that connected the inland palace to the sea.
Ships could pass into the city and around the mountain.
In this beautiful place, Poseidon and Cleito lived and had five sets of twins,
all boys. Their first son was named Atlas (not to be confused with the Titan
named Atlas which is another story). The island and its surrounding waters were
named for this child (the island of Atlantis and the Atlantic Ocean). When he
grew older, Atlas became king of Atlantis and ruled in peace and harmony.
The philosopher Plato wrote about Atlantis over 2000 years ago.
Many years passed, and Atlantis grew to be a rich kingdom with knowledge and technology more advanced than any other island or country. Plato’s story tells us that the people of Atlantis became lazy, and their rulers wicked. They grew arrogant with self-importance and greed. A great navy was built and plans of war to enslave other people were prepared (the city-state of Athens was targeted). The Atlanteans believed that no one could stop them. The Gods became angry that their blessings and gifts were abused. As punishment, Atlantis was destroyed by an earthquake followed by an immense flood. The island sank below the ocean’s waters in one day and night.
The true location of this island nation has been lost to history. Some scholars argue that Atlantis never existed; Plato was just telling a good story. Those that believe in Atlantis have many theories as to its true location. Willow named one of those sites, hence the twist.
The island of Thera or modern day Santorini is part of an island chain called the Cyclades in the southern Aegean Sea. It had been part of the great Minoan civilization. A mountain lay at its center which turned out to be a volcano. Some 3600 years ago, the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history (the strength of 100 atomic bombs) blew apart the island of Thera. The tidal waves that followed were said to reach the Northern coast of Crete. Clouds of ash affected much of eastern Mediterranean. When the dust settled, the large circular island of Thera was reduced to the narrow crescent shape of today. It is believed that because of this explosion and tidal waves, the Minoan people were left vulnerable to the attacks of the Mycaeneans. Their culture never recovered.
A view of Santorini from the air.
Scientists today have found evidence of an ancient but advance society that lived on Thera. There are remnants of art, temples (dedicated to Poseidon), colored glass, plumbing, heated pools and luxurious mansions.
There have been many other suggestions as to the location of Atlantis from in or near the Mediterranean Sea (Sardinia, Sicily and Malta to name a few) to the colder northern waters of the North Sea (possible sunken islands near the Celtic Shelf or even Sweden). As the new world was discovered, Cuba and the Bahamas were suggested as possible sites for Atlantis. Perhaps Atlantis is hiding within the Bermuda Triangle. For now, we do not know. Willow’s answer is as close to the true site of Atlantis as we can assume. For her efforts, we are giving her a grade of A+.
Let us congratulate Willow and her Junior Seekers on a job well done!
P.S. Has any council member lost a black cat? I shooed one out of my office. He was using my leather chair as a scratching post.