It's been too long since we started talking about Rilian and his return to Narnia. See here for our previous post.
In Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, we meet Hans Pritcher, a captain in the Foundation’s armed forces known for his incredible abilities and daring, but never promoted due to a streak of rebelliousness. As this was a time of Mayoral tyranny in the Foundation, Pritcher also secretly served the democratic underground. The assent of the Mule, a mutant with extraordinary mental powers, greatly interested Pritcher who immediately and correctly identified him as the greatest threat to the Foundation. Indeed, Terminus (the Foundation capital) is eventually taken by the Mule and Pritcher’s last attempt to assassinate the Mule is foiled. Pritcher is captured and “converted” by the Mule, under whom Pritcher becomes a general and the Mule’s most trusted advisor.
The Mule’s enchantment of Pritcher (unlike the Lady of the Green Kirtle’s enchantment of Rilian) was completely involuntary, and in fact was fought against to the very last. Yet, what happened when the enchantment wore off? What became of Pritcher when the Mule died? He did not return to the Foundation, but instead took over the Mule’s kingdom. He tried, and failed, to be the Mule’s successor to continue the work of his captor. Though Pritcher’s will was no longer bound by the enchantment, the enchantment still controlled him.
The Talmud states, "A man commits a transgression only if a spirit of folly enters him." Note the Talmud's formulation. Sin occurs when someone is overtaken by something from the outside. The person becomes enchanted with another's spouse (as in the discussion of the Talmud), an object that belongs to someone else, or a foodstuff that does not fit dietary restrictions. No doubt this happens to all of us from time to time despite our best efforts to the contrary. the ultimate question then becomes, what to do when the enchantment wears off?
Having fallen once do get up, admit to what we have done wrong and try to do better next time? Or do we stay under the enchantment even though it no longer has sway?
Rilian could have crawled back under the enchantment. His thought process would have been, OK, I’m free now, but being a prince (even in name only) with a beautiful Lady at my side isn’t all that bad, and I’ve grown pretty comfortable with it. Maybe we can swing a deal? After all, going back to Narnia will be a lot of work, I don’t know any of the latest fashions (a la Bree) or what's happened to my baseball team, maybe they won’t even want me.
But he doesn’t do that. Despite his earlier failings Rilian remains true to Aslan and to his people.
In fact, even the one enticement he almost falls speaks to his loyalty.
“My father went to the world's end," said Rilian thoughtfully. "It would be a marvellous thing if his son went to the bottom of the world."
Even here he speaks of following in the footsteps of his father, not following a different path.
Thus, Rilian is a complete repentant and is welcome home to Narnia.
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