The Gods of Pegāna · Chapter
Of the Calamity That Befell Yūn-Ilāra by the Sea, and of the Building of the Tower of the Ending of Days explained
Yūn-Ilāra, a shepherd who fears not Mung, is made prophet and builds the Tower of the Ending of Days, from which he curses Mung daily.
What happens
Yūn-Ilāra, a shepherd who fears not Mung, is made prophet and builds the Tower of the Ending of Days, from which he curses Mung daily. Over time, Sish ages him and ivy overtakes the tower. Eventually, weary of life, Yūn-Ilāra prays for death, but Mung never heeds him. His bones remain at the tower's base, his voice still crying for Mung's mercy.
Themes in this chapter
Suffering and Death
Yūn-Ilāra's longing for death as a release from the toil of life and the cruelty of the gods.
The Absurdity of Divine Games
Mung ignores Yūn-Ilāra's curses and later his pleas, highlighting the indifference of the gods.
Characters to notice
- Yūn-Ilāra
A shepherd who becomes a prophet, builds the Tower of the Ending of Days, and curses Mung until he grows old and weary, then prays for death.
- Pegāna Mung
The god of death and dark things, whom Yūn-Ilāra curses but who never heeds him.
- Sish
The god of time who ages Yūn-Ilāra and covers his tower with ivy.
- Kib
The god who gave life, whose gift becomes wearisome to Yūn-Ilāra.
Key passages
“O Mung! whose hand is against the Sun, whom men abhor but worship because they fear thee, here stands and speaks a man who fears thee not.”
Yūn-Ilāra declares his fearlessness of Mung, the god of death, whom people worship only out of terror.
Defiance of divine authority.
“O Mung! O loveliest of the gods! O Mung, most dearly to be desired! thy gift of Death is the heritage of Man, with ease and rest and silence and returning to the Earth.”
Yūn-Ilāra now praises death as a desirable release from life's hardships.
Shift from cursing to yearning for death.