I was looking to add a quote from a fake bible in my fictional world. If memory serves, Frank Herbert just quoted the Orange Catholic Bible, but I thought it might be cooler to quote a chapter and verse. If the quote actually came from the bible, I believe it would normally go something like:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
There is no mention that it is from the bible. You just get John 3:16.
So, I'm thinking about using that style, but obviously not using the bible. I'm thinking something like this:
Beware the horseless carriage for Death is the driver and Sin is its engine. Adages 2:13
Or would just saying it comes from the Long Book (the world's bible equivalent) be better?
Please, opine.
Posted by snapper (Member # 7299) on :
There are texts that our considered holy that were passed up for entry into the bible when they were first compiling the new testament. One is The Gospel of Thomas. There are others as well. You can verses in them online
Posted by LDWriter2 (Member # 9148) on :
I'm trying to recall if I have seen that done--- I think once or thrice but I can't remember who did it. But since the Bible isn't the only Group of Writings that uses an "address" like that I would think it would be Okay.
But are you talking about an alternate Bible or a holy writing from another religion?
In either case my answer would still be the same.
Posted by Owasm (Member # 8501) on :
The nice thing about a fictional scripture is that you can make up any kind of index system you want. Sometimes it's a journal entry or a codex number.
You can be creative as you want. Bibilical scriptures are Chapter:Verse
Posted by MattLeo (Member # 9331) on :
Well, copy the usual formats (ch : v, ch : v1 - v2 etc) with any numbers that strike your fancy. I'd be more worried about making the words sound right. To the anglophone's ear "biblical" = King James Bible. Duplicating the sound of it is a tall order, like faking Shakespeare. KJV may not be entirely comprehensible or accurate translation, but it is a work of Titanic poetic merit that's familiar even to people who've never read it.
Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :
When incorporating a False Document citation, the same standard style principles apply as for genuine articles.
As an epigraph heading opening a chapter.
Time and the Maker woundeth all heels as healeth all wounds. — Letticous 77:683
As a block quote, typically more than four lines of False Document cited text.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. ("Lorem Ipsum" 1:1)
Inline citation.
According to Moult, de'Jeinne of the Long Book meant the Gravid would befall thee who let evil into the mothers' lodge (Klaciastis 17:20).
As dialogue, where the speaker cites the Book.
"Raileph 23:4," said the shanomma, "Manhoi spake the deed, the word, and the thought, and evil becameth manifest for the Barsidae."
As a footnote attribution.
"Lorem Ipsum." Wikipedia. Web.
[ February 26, 2012, 09:53 PM: Message edited by: extrinsic ]
Posted by enigmaticuser (Member # 9398) on :
I think a lot of prophecies/scriptures lose their greatness when they're to ethreal. So my suggestion would be for it to 'touch ground' as much as possible.
That idea of the horseless carriage is good, but "adages" sounds kind of like "generic." Using the bible for a pattern for example, all the names of the books mean something Genesis = Beginnings. Corinthians was a letter to the people of Corinth. Etc... The prophecies aren't just floating in ether, they're for a specific group and time, and yet often echo of a later time or viceaversa.
I think we've all seen a million prophecies of "the one" or fictitious commands that seemed to have dropped out of the author's pocket and have nothing to do/origin in the world wherein the exist.
Posted by babooher (Member # 8617) on :
Yeah, I used "adages" here as a generic for Proverbs to kinda make the connection more obvious as the example. I've been toying with something else that links to the alternative theology and evolution of the theocracy.
Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :
The Chapter:Verse citation style principle is based on a general lack of reliable pagination in old codexes and scrolls. Modern style manuals also use a similar system for similar reasons. E,g., 6.4.128 might be on a different numbered page in other editions. But still easily and clearly located and referred to by the chapter, section, and subsection number.
Now, for artful purposes, perhaps a passage in an ancient tome is hard to find and identify its location so that illiterates have to rely upon a priest to find and read and interpret sacred texts. Probably a number of artful complications can be derived from coping with a textual numbering system.
Posted by shimiqua (Member # 7760) on :
It's brilliant. But my favorite part is the fictional bible.
Truckers.
quote: "In the beginning... I. There was the Site. II. And Arnold Brothers (est. 1905) Moved upon the face of the Site, and Saw that it had Potential. III. For it was In the High Street. IV. Yay, it was also Handy for the Buses. V. And Arnold Brothers (est. 1905) said, let there be a Store, And Let it be a Store such as the World has never Seen hitherto;
When you are writing a fake scripture, remember that grammar rules go out the window. Capitalize any word you think should be accented. Start every verse with "And, But, or Yay," and use run on sentences that are interrupted with commas and semicolons.
Pratchett used familiar bible phrases, that are shifted slightly, to add a sense of scripture to the words.
Good luck with it. ~Sheena
Posted by babooher (Member # 8617) on :
"Eh? It is a love based on giving and receiving. As well as having and sharing. And the love that they give and have is shared and received. And through this having and giving and sharing and receiving."
Joey 7.16
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Lester Del Rey once quoted from The Book of Exhultations in a short story, "For I Am a Jealous People," only to find out later that some people don't know what's in the Bible and what isn't...
I can't recall whether Frank Herbert explained the Orange Catholic Bible, or detailed its history, or defined just what "Orange Catholic Bible" meant...I think it was just some coloring for Dune, something to give it a little depth, and if he developed it further, it didn't appear beyond the mention. (But it's been awhile since I read Dune, and there might be a mention in the appendices...)
Posted by babooher (Member # 8617) on :
In one of the prequels, the Orange Catholic Bible is discussed a tad bit more, but not so much in Dune itself or anything Frank Herbert did.