“Love is essentially an abstract concept, much easier to experience than to explain.”
This idea on love has been one of the major discussions based from the treatises of one Corite. According to a leading member of the neo-idealistic house of the Holy Alliance, the Magnus Ordo or Supreme Order, Love, which is indeed an abstract idea, has been perceived from two separate points of view, either from a philosophical and idealistic view and the other from a scientific and factual view. But what really is Love for a Corite? Research and discussions within the Holy Alliance itself will help us in our attempt to provide an explanation.
Let us first discuss what love is from each point of view. Beginning with a philosophical point of view, philosophers within the Holy Alliance believed that Love comes in many forms. It may be in the form of Larate which generally refers to a "pure", ideal type of love rather than the physical attraction itself. It has also been translated as "love of the soul". To us sons and daughters of Decem, Larate is the way we give and gain respect to our colleagues and comrades. The key idea in this is sharing in whatever you do, whether it is in suffering or in glory as each member of the Holy Alliance is special, equal yet unique in his or her own way. As children of Decem, we share our belongings, our food, and everything that we can so that all may feel equal under the eyes of our Lord Decem. Larate can also be referred to as “brotherly love”.
The second form of Love according to a philosophical point of view is Cupidis. This is what the Corite philosophers identify as how the Bellato Federation views Love in its entirety. Eros is passionate love, with sensual desire and longing. The Ancient word Cupidis means in love. In the Holy Alliance of Cora, Cupidis is Love for beauty. Although Cupidis is initially felt for a person, with contemplation it becomes an appreciation of the beauty within that person, or even becomes appreciation of beauty itself. Cupidis helps the soul recall knowledge of beauty, and contributes to an understanding of spiritual truth. Lovers and philosophers are all inspired to seek truth by Cupidis. Some translations list it as "love of the body".
Filius, a dispassionate virtuous love, was a concept developed by the Corite philosopher, Roi Sacre. It includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity. Filius is motivated by practical reasons; one or both of the parties benefit from the relationship. It can also mean "love of the mind". It is different from Agape in the sense that the soul is different from the mind. If Larate is love of the soul, which is shown in the act of sharing, Filius on the other hand, is shown in act of loyalty, which in turn can be defined as friendship.
The 4th form of Love according to the Corite philosophers is Beigil, which is natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring. Children of course are the ultimate expression of Love under the eyes of Decem and it is natural that parents should feel deep affection for their offspring but still bearing in mind that their offspring where brought about by Lord Decem. Their love for their offspring must remain secondary to their love for Decem.
Finally, there is Lamentes, which means hospitality, and it was an extremely important practice in ancient Corite civilization. It was an almost ritualized friendship formed between a host and their guest, who could previously be strangers. The host fed and provided quarters for the guest, who was only expected to repay with gratitude. The most fatal sin a Corite may commit under the eyes of Decem is to violate the sacred relationship between host and guest.
Aside from the philosophical views, there are the religious and traditional views. There are doctrines and teachings by the Veda that remind us that the highest form of love is the love for our god, Decem. Corites were taught that to love Decem with all your heart, mind, and strength and Love your neighbor as yourself are the two most important things in life.
One man, by the name of Elil Aramis, a member of the Galatean Monastic Order wrote that, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres."
Another man, by the name of Augustus Hippo, was once a fugitive and was pursued by the elite guards from the Planet Cora to the Planet Novus where he now resides in exile. Here, he wrote a series of treatises on life and passive resistance which in no doubt came from his study under the Edians. He says that one must be able to decipher the difference between love and lust. Lust, according to Augustus is an over indulgence, but to love and be loved is what he has sought for his entire life. He even says, “I was in love with love.” Finally, he does fall in love and is loved back, by Decem. He says the only one who can love you truly and fully is Decem, because love with a human only allows for flaws such as, “jealousy, suspicion, fear, anger, and contention.” According to Augustus to love Decem is “to attain the peace which is yours.”
Putting these ideas, side by side, I, Eragon Ellesmera have deduced that these two ideas may be different on how Corites view love yet they are one and the same. It may be realistic or idealistic but what is the difference? The important thing is these are parts of how the whole idea of Love is viewed by the entire race. We must come to understand that, the whole truth about one particular subject is not thrusted to us in its entirety. We come to seek the truth and we see pieces of it, and in turn these pieces can be put together to complete the puzzle. And so I say to you my brethren, on this glorious day, on this one more day where Decem gives us another chance to step closer to discerning the one of the deep mysteries of our life which is love. What is love?
Again, we may look back to all of the definitions and forms, types and kinds of love. Of how philosophers and our pious brothers can define love. But can that sum up the whole idea of love in itself for our race? Never. But it shows how we, as Corites have a deeper sense of feeling for Love. We live to experience it and to define it to the best of our effort. It shows our love for wisdom.
But how do I see Love as it is? I see it as a path to happiness for the only goal of life is to be happy. And there is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved. And love for Decem is our highest happiness. We do it so that we are loved in return. So that we may never feel sad and alone and that keeps us happy, to have someone watching over us, guiding us in everything we do, thinking that we are only a minute, insignificant speck in a much grander design. That shows our own humility and our love for him.
The Bellato Federation may laugh on how we view love. This is our identity. This is what we are. And they cannot change that. Maybe that is the reason why our race sees love the way we do. And maybe that is the reason why the race is called Cora. According to the ancients, for love to exist, one must have a soul. And the soul is found in the center of the body, in the core. In another language, the core of our body is La Corazon, for the rest of us, it is the heart. And that is why we Corites love with all our heart and soul.
