“Gom Jabbar”
In the Dune series, there seems to be a closely allied set of symbols, all of them as it were implements of the Hunter, Orion, or Jabbar: the gom jabbar itself, the horns of the Old Duke’s bull, the tooth of the Duke Leto, the crysknife or maker-of-death, the hunter-seeker, and Maker hooks. To these, I think it may be correct or at least revealing to add the Kwisatz Haderach, the ghola Hayt, and Hwi Noree. These weapons remained under the guidance of the hunter until they struck their target or failed. It may or may not be correct, but in any case it does not seem misleading, to think of “gum jabber” in connection with most of these. Consideration of the Sophist may bring to mind a suggestion that the primitive organs of hunting–I do not speak of hunting for food alone–are also the organs of speech and gesture and of kissing and gripping. After all this time, hooks and tridents are still hooks and tridents.
