Monday, July 17, 2006

 

God Save the King

Greek Anthology 11.395 (Nicarchus, tr. W.R. Paton):
A fart which cannot find an outlet kills many a man; a fart also saves, sending forth its lisping music. Therefore if a fart saves, and on the other hand kills, a fart has the same power as kings.

Πορδὴ ἀποκτέννει πολλοὺς ἀδιέξοδος οὖσα·
  πορδὴ καὶ σώζει τραυλὸν ἱεῖσα µέλος.
οὐκοῦν εἰ σώζει, καὶ ἀποκτέννει πάλι πορδή,
  τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν ἴσην πορδὴ ἔχει δύναµιν.
Paton euphemistically (or onomatopoetically) prints f--t, not fart.

Thomas More's Latin epigram 21 is a translation of Nicarchus' poem:
Te crepitus perdit, nimium si ventre retentes.
  Te propere emissus servat item crepitus.
Si crepitus servare potest et perdere, numquid
  Terrificis crepitus regibus aequa potest?



<< Home
Newer›  ‹Older

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?