Mgoiipo Shesntb Memorandum to His Imperial Majesty Lord Comn on the Occasion of Five Thousand Years of the Blessings of His House RakisRef Cat 185-B22! Bmrhis Elspna, The Stars m Their Courses The Calendar in History (Kaitain. Lintiinn UP) CANTO-RESPONDC]. A part of an ancient nte first developed by the Bene Gessent Missionana Protectava According to the Rev eiend Mother Gams Helen Momam m her detailed notes on the history of the Bene Gessent breeding program, it was the func- tion of the Missionana Protective to develop on those planets upon which members of the Sisterhood might have dealings local mythologies which afforded them protection if the need arose These mythologies often took the form of popular religions that sanctified the persons of the Bene Gessent as prophets of some long-awaited mahdi (or messiah) Such mythologies were manifested and kept fresh in the minds of the superstitious natives by rites known as the panopha propheticus, which seems to imply that they were so designed to serve whatever needs a Bene Gessent could have in a time of emergency One example ot the panopha propheticus is recorded in the nduhan crystals discovered cm Rakis The significant passage is part of a manuscnpt concerning the early life of Paul Muad'Dib and was recorded by Leto II Since Leto II claimed to have withm him the personalities and memories of all his ancestors, his descnption of the nte in which his grandmother, the Lady Jessica participated has at least some claim to accuracy Pressed on every side lo justify to the Piemen her right to their protection Lady Jessu-d put into practice her long held belief that the Fremen had been visited by the Missionana Protectiva and ventured to lead the sietch in the panopha propheticus Allowing the trance ot deepest memory to take her consciousness she began "Ibn qirtaiba as far as where the dust ends And then went on to recite a verse which began * Mine enemies are like green blades eaten down/ That did stand in the path of the tempest The verse created an immediate response among the Fremen and with the Lady Jessica clearly controlling die nte it continued The Fire of God mount over tiiy heart she said The Fire of God set alight came the response Thine enemies shall fall she said Bl la kaifa they answered What seems to be described here is the invocation part of the rite which scholars believe to be the Canto-Respondu section In effect it establishes the right of the leader to partake of the panopha propheticus and when that nght is recognized by the congregation, CASTLE CALADAN 150 CASTLE CALADAN the speaker also wins a mystical standing with the community Leto II also seems to imply m this passage that the Bene Gessent planted some very powerful words within the Canto-Respondu which had a hypnotic effect upon those who responded These words, combined with the superstitious awe of the respondents, appeared to produce a trance in which the leader of the nte achieved almost godlike status in the congregation Thus, in the hands of a Bene Gessent who would also have the power of Voice at her command, the Canto-Respondu must have been irresistible The noted scholar Pyer Bnizvair has noted that ancient religions often used forms like the Canto-Respondu to knit a congregation together m its faith Given, however, the power of the Bene Gessent and the heightened sense of community held by the Fremen, such ancient ntes eouid have only been pale copies of what went on between the Lady Jessica and the sietch which finally adopted her as their Reverend Mother Further references.