Last night I dreamed dark spirits were pursuing me and I was attempting a fighting retreat. The pursuers were male and female and resembled zombies in some ways.
I faced them as I retreated backwards and as one reached me, I would loudly yell “vade retro Satána!” and then stab it through the temple with some kind of metallic shard in my hand. This would cause it to drop dead at which point the next one would reach for me. Rinse. Repeat. I killed 5-6 in this way and thankfully woke up, although I quickly looked around the room worried some had followed me into wakefulness.
That phrase comes from the Benedictine exorcism which WJT often includes as part of his own Rosary performance. (It’s not technically part of the Rosary.) It means “back off, Satan”, get away, get behind me, etc. Something like that. In the dream, the words didn’t seem to have any impact that I could tell, it was the shard in the brain matter that did the trick. But it sure gave me confidence as I yelled it. Maybe one could argue those words are like a shard to their brain matter.
Despite their zombie like behavior, in my dream they were definitely evil spirits.
WW
The phrase is similar to what Jesus was recorded as having said to Peter, I believe.
Also, looking into it quickly, it looks like it isn’t quite clear where the phrase originates, but the earliest mention per the always infallible Wikipedia is in a 13th century legend involving a Devils’ Bridge in Sens. There are various versions of these Devils’ Bridge stories (lots of Devil’s Bridges all over Europe), and they seem to involve the architect agreeing to sell their soul to the devil in exchange for the bridge being built. In some version, the architect does sell their soul, but then repents. In others, the Devil is tricked and no human souls are in jeopardy. In all cases, Vade Retro Satana was the start of the formula or chant to exorcise the Devil from the premises (along with Holy Water – maybe your shard).
Long story short, I thought it was interesting the phrase was associated with deals with the devil, and with building bridges.
LEE
I forgot that was the phrase tied to Peter’s rebuke. And I had never heard of that bridge lore. I suppose it could have been on a bridge in my dream. I wouldn’t swear to it though.
WW
The metallic shard could in some way symbolize either Stones or plates, as one possibility. The Stones are ‘metallic-seeming’, and the various plates in our story are definitely metal. In the case of the Stones, although round, they also have this imagery or symbolism of a spear, sword, or something sharp.
The fact that you were stabbing the temple, head, or “mind” of these zombies might support this view or a Stone/ Plates/ Record as your weapon.
LEE
Good point. Over the past few days I kept thinking about how the metallic shard was ridged the long ways of the metal and it gave me the impression that it was a piece of a broken sword. Then I remembered the tale of how the Brass Plates were written by Ifariel. For a pen she used what was literally a “shard” from I think Rugus’ broken sword if I’m not mistaken. It’s mentioned on p 157 of Slumbered.
WW
That sounds like a pretty good read to me.