On 3/15/06, Philip Hart <philiph at slac.stanford.edu> wrote: > I think the "sink into decay" bit would argue, in a multi-emperor > scheme, for a greater awareness and tradition of handing off the Orb > intraHouse. Tortaalik starts off determined not to become decadent, > and some discussion of the literature around secondary emperorships > would have been apropos if there were such things. Only if it's the individual Phoenix emperor who is expected to become decadent--but it's the turning of the Cycle which makes the Phoenix (as a House, it seems) become decadent. Or the decadence of the House causes the Cycle to turn. Or the decadence of the House is a sign of the fact that the Cycle has already turned. It's a bit like Calvinist theologians trying to handwave the link between predestination and good works--too mystical for my brain. My main point is, just because one admits the possibility of multiple emperors of the same House does not mean that one discards the Cycle. -Max -- Be pretty if you are, Be witty if you can, But be cheerful if it kills you.