HMMMMM.....interesting....

Okay, so an idea came to me while I was in the shower this morning. (I'm big on bathroom revelations...)

Going back to what Gail said, what if the vampire that changed Carlisle was Marcus. According to the Lexicon, Marcus lost his mate in a battle. If he were anything like Edward after he thought he lost Bella, he would have been suicidal. Might he have gone off somewhere to try to kill himself through starvation?

Or maybe the battle in which he lost his mate had something to do with their diet. It would be interesting if he had tried to live on the "vegetarian" diet and failed. His attempt at being on the vegetarian diet could link in with the aura discussion on The Science of Vampirism thread. And may explain how Carlisle was able to do it. Marcus's ultimate failure at it would also explain some of his, Aro's and Caius's distaste for Carlisle's lifestyle choices.

That is so interesting! And that is a way he might try to kill himself, because Caius and Aro probably wouldn't destroy him, would they? Wasting away for his lost love...it makes me think he and his mate (about whom I know nothing, so maybe I'm off-base) were together as humans and were changed around the same time, maybe one going back after being changed and turning the other so they wouldn't be parted. How sad to end up losing her, after all. No wonder he's so dried up and existing in total ennui.



That is just fascinating to contemplate. If the venom that changed Carlisle was different in composition because it was sustained by animal blood, that would lend itself to Carlisle's success as a veggie-vamp, although it would take the combined force of that plus Carlisle's own unique blend of compassion, determination, and...er...intestinal fortitude?...to accomplish what Marcus by himself wasn't able to. He paved the way for Carlisle but it was Carlisle's own qualities which allowed the ability to take hold within him. And then Carlisle was able to instill both his valor and his veggie-venom into his own "changelings," with the added benefit of being there to teach and model his values, as well.

Each generation may be stronger than the last! Marcus was able to live for a while as a veggie. Carlisle takes it further. Edward will take it further still, by not only surviving around humans but succeeding in marrying one.

OME, this sort of dovetails with what Lisa 314 is saying over on another thread about Bella drinking nectar instead of blood. Don't you see, she'd be the next generation in this area of ability! I have to go tell Lisa!!

Soooo, how did Carlise just stumble across the Volturi anyway? If it was one of the Volturi that changed him, did Carlisle have a "connection" to the vamp that made him that drew him to where that vamp was--like has been speculated about how Alice found the Cullens?

If we're on the right track here, the incident with Carlisle is what propelled Marcus to return to Italy and resume the human diet. And Carlisle followed him there a few decades later. My question is: Did Edward tell Bella the whole story? Does Carlisle know it was Marcus that changed him? Maybe Edward doesn't know the whole story.

Jaime, I commented to you on this in the other thread.

I had read this thread, but not posted any theories. Tonight I revamped the NM Volturi scene and noticed something. The theories on this thread range from Marcus to a priest. The Festival of St. Marcus in Italy honors Father Marcus, who drove out the vampires (allegedly). Which is Marcus of the Volturi.

Oh, so that's what Gail meant when she said, earlier in the thread, about Father Marcus. Who would have spoke Latin.

Edward says the vampire was very old and weak. It also says somewhere they have been around since the Etruscans.

Volterra is in the heart of what would have been the original Etruscan civilization (appx. 800 BCE)

i was wondering too who changed carlisle and this certainly has me wondering.

this thread certainly has me thinking about the whole issue. i certainly got a history lesson on this one.

This thread is interesting and informative (I reviewed some history--thanks for that.)

I would think that whoever changed Carlisle may have known about Carlisle's relationship to the pastor who was trying to exterminate vampires, werewolves and witches.

The reason I'm thinking along these lines is: Why did he not kill Carlisle? Was a vampire, possibly one of the Volturi, sent out to do the job? What would be the worst possible thing to do to Carlisle's father? Wouldn't it have been to cause Carlisle to become one as well? How would Carlisle's father have dealt with his own son being a vampire?

Just a theory. But I've always wondered why Carlisle was spared, if one can call it that.

The biting of Carlisle happened when he flushed out a coven from hiding. The vampire that bit Carlisle was very hungry (I guess from hiding) and could not resist to turn and bite Carlisle as he fled. Then the rest of the crowd caught up, and the vampire had to fight (killing 2 others) and flee.

I have decided that I don't think it was Father Marcus in London. In NM, Alice says they don't leave Volterra; they have their food brought in. So why would Marcus be starving, hiding under a London bridge?

Hmmm. Lauralee, you're probably right. One can sometimes get carried away when analyzing literature. As Freud said, "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

Interesting stuff!