Episode 3--A, B, and C
Isis and Harpocrates
As we saw in the last episode Point A produced Point B, the union of which produced Point C. And now must come the initiate's test to see if he can turn ABC into YHVH. A, B, and C begins, mystically speaking at least, where the last episode left off. (Although adherents of the chronological aspects of the show would note that the Prisoner seems to have been at the Village for a while in this episode.)
There's a bolt of lightning and a crash of thunder, and our new born babe is carried in from the storm. Fresh from his palingenesia he is borne across the threshold, into the cave of the mysteries to face another rite of passage. Like most infants, The Prisoner spends most of the episode sleeping and dreaming while that episode's Number 2 and mother surrogate fuss over him.
The plot of this episode is almost entirely ritualistic, and consists of three repeated attempts (all of which are dream re-enactments of events which never actually took place) to co-oerce the Prisoner to divulge the secret of his message--his raison d'etre, quite literally his reason for being here in the first place. But, as always, its just a test to see if he's learned his lesson from the last rite. For all initiates must learn the sacred truth est et fideli tuta silentio merces and then follow in the ways of Harpocrates. Isasin oi ntemueméno.
So it's understandable if one sees in this episode a deeper re-enactment, that of the three ruffians Jubela, Jubelo, Jubelum attempting to extract the Mason secret from Hiram Abiff, the architect of King Solomon's temple.
But since I don't want to write thousands of words on the profound meaning of silence, we'll end our discussion of A, B, and C by noting that, as it turns out, it is the Prisoner who is directing this particular play. The end of the episode mirrors that of Big Ben, although this time the Prisoner has triumphed and proven that he is ready to progress to the next stage, to become the crowned and conquering brat.
Once through these doors there is no turning back.
to be continued--be seeing you!
