(77.28-79.13) The first paragraph of today's reading details the wealth of worldly treasures that accompany HCE into the grave. In yesterday's reading, I got a vague impression that HCE was being entombed in somewhat of the same fashion as the Egyptian Pharaohs, and that suspicion seems to be confirmed by this passage. These treasures allow him to "live all safeathomely the presenile days of his life of opulence." In the end, he is "rich in death anticipated."
But even HCE cannot escape the harsh realities of the tomb. He has to "abide Zeit's [German for "Time's"] sumonserving." Eventually, the worms will work their way into his grave, and his body will be eaten away.
After that dose of crude reality, the narrator turns to the matters of the living. Perhaps predictably, a battle -- the "other spring offensive" -- has broken out between two "Celtiberian" camps. This battle has both religious and class elements to it, with each side being in "the purely doffensive" mode. (I like Joyce's combination of offensive and defensive with "doffensive.") Amongst the fighters, a rumor has broken out that HCE -- "Massa Ewacka" -- is not really dead, but in hibernation. A cook has told a story about HCE's prodigious appetite and ability to devour impressive amounts of rainbow trout, roaches, and minnows. Now, in hibernation mode, HCE is "secretly and by suckage feeding on his own misplaced fat."
This passage reintroduces the war theme that has been prevalent throughout the book. This is the cycle of life, it seems. While HCE was scapegoated during his life, his death and burial has not caused the fighting to cease. The hint of HCE's forthcoming resurrection is also in keeping with the cyclical nature of the Wake, and it'll be interesting to see how that shapes up.
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