Monday, July 17, 2006
God Save the King
Greek Anthology 11.395 (Nicarchus, tr. W.R. Paton):
Thomas More's Latin epigram 21 is a translation of Nicarchus' poem:
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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.Paton euphemistically (or onomatopoetically) prints f--t, not fart.
Πορδὴ ἀποκτέννει πολλοὺς ἀδιέξοδος οὖσα·
πορδὴ καὶ σώζει τραυλὸν ἱεῖσα µέλος.
οὐκοῦν εἰ σώζει, καὶ ἀποκτέννει πάλι πορδή,
τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν ἴσην πορδὴ ἔχει δύναµιν.
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?
