The Law of Talion

Tonight I cracked open some old journals, which is like visiting an old friend for most people, but for me (and other people who have a lot of death in their life) it's like cracking open a gate something akin to the scene from Ghostbusters where the Gatekeeper and the Keymaster got together and the Sta-Puft guy showed up. I opened my old journal from December up to a list of words I picked from a dictionary at random. The first word: "talion."


I have a talent for fortunetelling and usually use tarot cards, rarely runes, almost never less reputable tools like pendulums or stichomancy . However, in grief I abandoned tarot, and was reduced to stichomancy. The first time I opened a dictionary seeking a message from my love, who died recently, I opened and dropped my finger to "talion" - from Latin talio - retaliation - "punishment that exacts a penalty corresponding in kind to the crime."


Before my partner died we had conversations about whether or not "even a murderer" would have mercy in the hereafter. I believe she was talking about herself. She ended her own life two days later. Of course, breast and bone cancer was a great (and the official) motivation, but I have been intrigued to think that she would actually carry out an informal, vigilante death penalty on herself, in penance for a vigilante killing of a rapist-- the crime I have reason to believe she committed, based on all the facts of her life. Here is a little more on talion from a 'cool word' mailing list .

"If the punishment for an offense is exactly the same as the offense, then it is a talion, and it is talionic punishment. Example: 'For the crime of murder, the talion is death.'


"The ancient root was tele-, which had meanings related to lifting, supporting, and weighing, with derivatives relating to measuring and money. From the same ancient root:


"toll: fee paid for passage or service; extent of loss or damage;

"tolerate: to allow; to endure

"talent: marked innate ability, specific weight of gold or silver

"tola: the weight of one silver Indian rupee

"extoll: to praise highly ('lift up')"

Read this examination of the Law of Talion , posted to the site of the Austrian group The Center for Encounter and Active Non-Violence right after 9/11/01. It hints at the need for support of the International Criminal Court, which is opposed by the US Congress as though it was another terrorist attack on our homeland.


I have no answers- only wishes for the blessing of moderation.