I’m thinking that it makes sense to think of the recorso as a fixed Shaun/space square with immobile ages, and a Shem/time reversal going through the ages backwards:

• Republic
• Monarchy
• Theocracy begins again

The Roman history where Augustus wields power but does it officially through the Senate, his line is turned into a monarchy, and then the Emperor becomes a divinity was known to Joyce.

This video suggested some of these ideas to me.

https://youtu.be/iqP-0dkuEJc

Disturbing parallels to our own times.