The Curse of the Violet Tower is a legendary tale that has been passed down through the generations. According to the folklore, there was once a majestic tower built entirely out of violet-colored stones. The tower stood tall and imposing, captivating anyone who laid eyes upon it. However, the beauty of the tower masked a dark secret. It was said that a curse had been placed upon the tower by an ancient sorceress. The curse was said to bring misfortune and tragedy to anyone who entered the tower or attempted to claim its treasures.
In Plutarch’s Life of Julius Caesar, Caesar famously refuses a golden crown presented to him by Mark Antony during the feast of Lupercalia.
Despite the ambiguity surrounding Valentine and his life, the Catholic Church declared him a saint and listed him in Roman Martyrology as being martyred on February 14. The pair would be coupled for the festival s duration hoping to ward off evil spirits and infertility and often stayed together until the next festival.
The curse was said to bring misfortune and tragedy to anyone who entered the tower or attempted to claim its treasures. The legend tells of a brave adventurer who was determined to conquer the curse and claim the riches hidden within the Violet Tower. Undeterred by the warnings, he ventured into the tower alone, armed with only his courage.
All About Lupercalia || The Pagan Origins of Valentine's Day
Lupercalia is an old Pagan festival coming from Ancient Rome. It takes place on February 15th and it began as a way to honor the founding of Rome. The root of the word Lupercalia means “wolf” so this festival celebrated the twin founders Romulus & Remus, who were cared for by a she-wolf as children.
On Lupercalia two groups of priests would meet in the Luperical Cave within the Palantine Hill. One group of priests were descended from the followers of Romulus and the other group were descended from the followers of Remus. Like most pagan festivals, Lupercalia began with a big feast and lots of wine. After the feasting the priests would sacrifice some goats & one dog to the Gods.
It was very rare among the Romans to sacrifice a dog so Lupercalia was most likely the only time during the year when this happened. Since this festival celebrated the she-wolf that saved Romulus & Remus, the dog was a symbolic stand-in for a wolf in this instance.
After the sacrifice two priests would come forward and the sacrificial blood would be placed on the forehead and then washed off with goats milk. This symbolically washed away the feud & violence between the founding brothers of Rome.
Afterward, all the priests would leave the cave and take the hides of the sacrificed goats to create whips out of the pieces of hide. They stripped naked and ran up and down the city streets lightly whipping the people as they ran. The whips weren’t designed to hurt anyone; this was meant to be a playful and humorous act. In fact, people wanted to get hit as it was believed that being hit with the goat whip would bring good luck and make you more fertile.
Over the years Lupercalia increased in popularity among the Roman people and transformed into a festival that primarily celebrated fertility & childbirth. This festival was so loved that it even survived after the Western Roman Empire fell. Unfortunately, in the 5th Century Pope Gelasius banned the festival due to its nudity and drunkenness and then replaced it with a much more sober occasion called the the Festival of the Purification of the Virgin Mary.
Even though Lupercalia stopped being widely celebrated after the 5th century I do think it’s telling that we celebrate our own modern fertility festival, Valentine's Day, at about the same time as Lupercalia.
Will you be celebrating Lupercalia this year? Share your thoughts below in the comments.
According to Roman legend, the ancient King Amulius ordered Romulus and Remus—his twin nephews and founders of Rome—to be thrown into the Tiber River to drown in retribution for their mother’s broken vow of celibacy.
As the adventurer made his way through the tower, he encountered numerous challenges and obstacles. It seemed as though the curse was indeed real, as he faced one setback after another. Despite the odds stacked against him, the adventurer pressed on, driven by his desire for glory and riches. Eventually, the adventurer reached the top of the tower, where the greatest challenge awaited him. It was said that the sorceress herself resided in the highest room, guarding the ultimate treasure of the Violet Tower. With his heart pounding, the adventurer confronted the sorceress, who laughed in his face. She taunted him, revealing that the curse was not actually meant to harm those who entered the tower. Instead, it was a test of character and perseverance. The sorceress explained that the curse was designed to weed out those who sought the tower's treasures for selfish reasons. Only those with noble intentions and a pure heart would be able to overcome the obstacles and claim the true treasure – knowledge and wisdom. In an unexpected twist, the sorceress offered the adventurer a choice. He could either take the material riches that lay before him or he could choose to receive the gift of wisdom, opening his mind to the endless possibilities of life. Recognizing the true value of wisdom, the adventurer chose wisely and received the gift of knowledge from the sorceress. With a newfound understanding and appreciation for life's true treasures, he left the Violet Tower a changed man. The tale of the Curse of the Violet Tower serves as a reminder that material riches are not the ultimate goal in life. True wealth lies in the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, and personal growth. It is a cautionary tale that teaches us to look beyond the surface and seek the true treasures that lie within ourselves..
Reviews for "The Dark Shadows: Tales of the Violet Tower Curse"
1. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Curse of the Violet Tower". The plot was extremely predictable and lacked any originality. The characters were one-dimensional and I couldn't connect with any of them. The pacing was also quite slow, making it difficult to stay engaged. Overall, I would not recommend this book.
2. John - 2/5 stars - I found "Curse of the Violet Tower" to be quite dull and uninteresting. The writing style was lackluster and the dialogue felt forced. I also felt that the world-building was poorly executed, leaving me with a lot of unanswered questions. The book seemed to drag on and I couldn't wait for it to end. Unfortunately, this one just didn't captivate my attention.
3. Nicole - 1/5 stars - "Curse of the Violet Tower" was a complete waste of my time. The story lacked coherence and the plot twists felt forced and unnecessary. The characters were forgettable and lacked depth. I found myself constantly rolling my eyes at the clichéd dialogue. Overall, this book failed to engage me in any way and I regret reading it.
4. Michael - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Curse of the Violet Tower", but it fell short of my expectations. The pacing was all over the place, making it hard to follow the story. The author introduced too many irrelevant subplots, which detracted from the main narrative. Additionally, the ending felt rushed and unsatisfying. I was left feeling underwhelmed and frustrated by this book.