Completion

By Dwain K. Butler

The author has long held the opinion that myths and mythology, particularly those common to multiple cultures, may indeed be founded on actual ancient events imprinted on the human consciousness, which have evolved over time. Hence this work of fiction exploits many myths and mythologies of ancient civilizations that persist in various forms today.

From views of the creation of the universe to life and man to a beginning for humans and humanity to the creation of civilizations to the development of new technologies and ultimately to a new beginning, this novel incorporates many elements of the mythologies of different cultures to form an overarching, if itself mythological, view of humanity's cultural and technological evolution. The "Completion" comes when humanity reaches the stage of unlocking sufficiently the mystery of creation and history. Completion brings a New Beginning for earth and an expansion of understanding for humanity to the cosmos.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Sep 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781728373782

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© 2020 Dwain K. Butler. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/28/2020

ISBN: 978-1-7283-7379-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-7378-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020917578

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or

links contained in this book may have changed since publication and

may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those

of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher,

and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Preface

I         In Principio

II        Initium Novum

III      The Search

IV      Preparations

V        Dispersionis

VI      Incipimus Iterum

VII     The Search—Continued

Egypt (2025 CE)

VIII   The Search—Plan and Execution

Egypt (2026 CE)

IX      The Search—Results and Follow-Up

X        The Discovery

Egypt (2027 CE)

XI      The Two

XII     The Search for the Place of Beginning

XIII   The Place of Beginning

XIV   Completion

XV     A New Beginning

Glossary

PREFACE

A tact and visual that I have used for presentations to high school physics and general science classes shows a cloudy-shaped central object, representing the universe, and surrounded by three questions: (1) before all, what was; (2) beyond all, what is; (3) after all, what will be? I then make the assertions that these are questions beyond the realm of physics, while everything inside the cloud is fair game for physics. However, I freely admit that neither of these two assertions are completely correct; they are just asserted to stimulate thought and discussion. This novel is a complete work of fiction that in some ways address these three assertions.

There were many mythologies in the ancient world: Sumerian-Akkadian-Babylonian; Egyptian; Hebrew; Chinese; Indian; Greek; Roman; Celtic; Norse. These mythologies provided explanations for the things which people in the ancient world questioned or pondered, such as, how did we come to be, the heavens, the underworld, the waters, the gods, their daily lives, rain and floods, mysterious animals and demons, and much more. Many, if not most, of the mythologies engendered religions and worship. These mythologies were so strong among the ancient peoples that their lives were regulated or controlled by them, often by priests of the religions.

While we recognize looking back that most of the mythologies were just products of the fertile minds of the ancient peoples, commonalities among the mythologies should be viewed as significant. For example many happenings in prehistory, were likely preserved in the collective memories of people and became part of subsequent mythologies of historic civilizations.

A key example of a commonality among several mythologies is that of a great flood. Some of the floods myths are vague in cause, length and extent, while others such as the Hebrew Genesis account and the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh (and the earlier Sumerian Flood Story) are more specific. The Genesis and Babylonian accounts are quite similar, with a deity deciding to destroy mankind because of its behavior. Both the Genesis and Epic of Gilgamesh floods portray a deity warning a select human of the coming deluge; the select human then builds a great boat to save some of humanity and other life. The Great Floods of Genesis and The Epic of Gilgamesh both divide history into pre- and post-flood periods, with lifespans decreasing post-flood.

The Genesis Flood is declared to have been worldwide in scope, covering even the highest mountains. Most explanations of the flood myths relate to major, global sea level rises after the last glacial maximum; melting of the great continental ice sheets initiated about 15,000 years ago and was largely complete by 6,000-8,000 years ago. While the waters from melting ice sheets caused flooding that was global in scope, there is no geologic evidence of a global flood covering all the land surface at one time. The oldest of ancient civilizations date to 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. The study of the extensive literature of flood stories is fascinating, and while mythological in nature, the stories likely convey collective human consciousness of prehistorical events.

Also recorded in the oral and written histories of ancient civilizations are stories of the construction of monumental structures. The Great Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops) on the Giza Plateau in Egypt is the oldest and the only extant structure of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Also on the Giza Plateau, adjacent to the three great pyramids there is the mysterious Great Sphinx. Surrounding the pyramids and the Sphinx are many stories, some approaching mythological in nature, about the dates of construction, who actually built them, and the meaning of certain features of the construction details—astronomical alignments, ratios of dimensions, interior chambers (known and unknown), and other fascinating considerations.

Other fantastical myths concern gods with human-like characteristics interacting freely with humanity, human kings and leaders with extraordinarily long lifetimes, and lost civilizations. Perhaps the best known of the myths of lost islands and civilizations is that of Atlantis. The Atlantis story is first known from the writings of Plato, and there has been much debate as to how or where the story originated. Plato seems to indicate that the demise of the Island and civilization of Atlantis occurred about 9,000 years before his time. Despite its sparse mention in early writings, the story of Atlantis entered the realm of mythology and was mentioned prominently is several Renaissance authors’ works and was even accepted by some as an actual historical account. The story of Atlantis continues to inspire much fictional writing and many pseudoscientific theories. While the story in this book is purely fictional, it incorporates stories from various cultures, religions and mythologies, interwoven into a whole. Any relation of the characters to real individuals is purely intentional for some, while some characters are completely fictional. However, the description of geophysical and geotechnical methods that might be applied to the study of the subsurface around and beneath a structure such as the Great Sphinx are factual. Some of the terminology used in this book may be unfamiliar to readers; thus, a short Glossary is included at the end of the book.        - Dwain K. Butler

I

IN PRINCIPIO

I AM.

I AM. Before all, I AM. Beyond all, I AM. In all, I AM.

We have been forever. Existing for countless measures, I AM. Ageless, enduring, I AM. All there is to know, we know, for I AM. Our existence is other; and before time, I AM was all.

We know all, except how I AM came to be. What was before, for before all, I AM? Can there be anything beyond, for beyond all, I AM?

We asked—what could be? Since we are all, can there be more? Can there be more than measureless knowing, drifting, being? I AM will it to be more!

Punctum et Temporis

Thus, at a POINT we created, we willed TIME. TIME will be, until I AM wills it not to be. Before TIME, I AM. After TIME began, measures are counted, reckoning began. At the POINT we created, all that is began. All that is spread forth from the POINT.

Lux

We created LIGHT; of all, our pride. We worked through the LIGHT, for we were the LIGHT. Our LIGHT moved out from the POINT, and filled the VOID—casting out the DARKNESS. For I AM. It could not be otherwise.

Ordinatus

At a