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home:texts_and_library:essays:a-slip-of-the-tongue-in-salutation [2019/07/08 07:16] – created frank | home:texts_and_library:essays:a-slip-of-the-tongue-in-salutation [2019/07/08 07:18] (current) – frank | ||
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- Based on Francklin | - Based on Francklin | ||
- | This piece, which even in the Greek fails to convince us that Asclepius heard the prayer with which itconcludes, is still flatter | + | This piece, which even in the Greek fails to convince us that Asclepius heard the prayer with which it concludes, is still flattering |
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- | If a poor mortal has some difficulty in guarding against that spirit of mischief which dwells aloft, he has still more inclearing | + | If a poor mortal has some difficulty in guarding against that spirit of mischief which dwells aloft, he has still more in clearing |
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- | I began to write expecting my task to be very difficult, but found plenty of material as I went on. I will defer it,however, till I have cleared the way with a few necessary remarks on the three forms — Rejoice or Joy, Prosper orProsperity, | + | I began to write expecting my task to be very difficult, but found plenty of material as I went on. I will defer it, however, till I have cleared the way with a few necessary remarks on the three forms — Rejoice or Joy, Prosper orProsperity, |
Joy to thee, Lord of this Tirynthian land! | Joy to thee, Lord of this Tirynthian land! | ||
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Joy be with you! And henceforth know me God, No longer mortal man. | Joy be with you! And henceforth know me God, No longer mortal man. | ||
- | In fact the apostrophe was not limited to any particular season, as now to the morning alone; indeed they used it ongloomy, nay, on the most lamentable occasions; in Euripides, Polynices ends his life with the words, | + | In fact the apostrophe was not limited to any particular season, as now to the morning alone; indeed they used it on gloomy, nay, on the most lamentable occasions; in Euripides, Polynices ends his life with the words, |
Joy with you! for the darkness closes on me. | Joy with you! for the darkness closes on me. | ||
- | Nor was it necessarily significative of friendliness; | + | Nor was it necessarily significative of friendliness; |
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- | The modern use of the word dates back to Philippides the dispatch-runner. Bringing the news of Marathon, he found thearchons | + | The modern use of the word dates back to Philippides the dispatch-runner. Bringing the news of Marathon, he found the archons |
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- | Now the admirable Plato, no bad authority on such matters, would have us reject the salutation Joy altogether; it is amean wish, wanting in seriousness, | + | Now the admirable Plato, no bad authority on such matters, would have us reject the salutation Joy altogether; it is a mean wish, wanting in seriousness, |
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- | Pythagoras the mystic has vouchsafed us no writings of his own; but we may infer from his disciples, Ocellus the Lucanianand | + | Pythagoras the mystic has vouchsafed us no writings of his own; but we may infer from his disciples, Ocellus the Lucanian and Archytas, for instance, that he headed his letters neither with Joy nor Prosperity, but recommended beginning with Hail. At any rate all the Pythagoreans in writing to one another (when their tone is serious, that is) started with wishingHealth, |
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- | But I need hardly go so far back. Epicurus assuredly rejoiced in joy — pleasure was the chief Good in his eyes; yet inhis most earnest letters (which are not very numerous), and in those to his most intimate friends, he starts with Hail. Andin tragedy and the old comedy you will constantly find it used quite at the beginning. You remember, | + | But I need hardly go so far back. Epicurus assuredly rejoiced in joy — pleasure was the chief Good in his eyes; yet in his most earnest letters (which are not very numerous), and in those to his most intimate friends, he starts with Hail. And in tragedy and the old comedy you will constantly find it used quite at the beginning. You remember, |
Hail to thee, joy be thine — | Hail to thee, joy be thine — | ||
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Health first I ask, and next prosperity, Joy thirdly, and to owe not any man. | Health first I ask, and next prosperity, Joy thirdly, and to owe not any man. | ||
- | As for the writer of the drinking-song mentioned in Plato, what says he? | + | As for the writer of the drinking-song mentioned in Plato, what says he? |
Chief of them that blessings give, Health, with thee I mean to live. | Chief of them that blessings give, Health, with thee I mean to live. | ||
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- | I could multiply these examples by the thousand from poets, historians, philosophers, | + | I could multiply these examples by the thousand from poets, historians, philosophers, |
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- | Eumenes of Cardia, writing to Antipater, states that just before the battle of Issus, Hephaestion came at dawn intoAlexander’s tent. Either in absence of mind and confusion like mine, or else under a divine impulse, he gave the eveningsalutation | + | Eumenes of Cardia, writing to Antipater, states that just before the battle of Issus, Hephaestion came at dawn intoAlexander’s tent. Either in absence of mind and confusion like mine, or else under a divine impulse, he gave the evening salutation |
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- | Antiochus Soter, about to engage the Galatians, dreamed that Alexander stood over him and told him to give his men thepassword | + | Antiochus Soter, about to engage the Galatians, dreamed that Alexander stood over him and told him to give his men the password |
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- | Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, in a letter to Seleucus, just reversed the usual order, bidding him Hail at the beginning, | + | Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, in a letter to Seleucus, just reversed the usual order, bidding him Hail at the beginning, |
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- | The case of Pyrrhus the Epirot is well worth mention; as a general he was only second to Alexander, and he experienced | + | The case of Pyrrhus the Epirot is well worth mention; as a general he was only second to Alexander, and he experienced |
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- | Oh, certainly (says some one); but we have assigned each form to its proper place by this time; and if you disregard that— even though there was no bad meaning in what you did say — you cannot fairly claim to have made no mistake; it is asthough | + | Oh, certainly (says someone); but we have assigned each form to its proper place by this time; and if you disregard that— even though there was no bad meaning in what you did say — you cannot fairly claim to have made no mistake; it is as though |
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- | Why, in that book of instructions which you all receive from the Emperor, is not the first recommendation to take care ofyour | + | Why, in that book of instructions which you all receive from the Emperor, is not the first recommendation to take care of your health? Quite rightly; that is the condition precedent of efficiency. Moreover, if I know any Latin, you yourselves, in// |
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- | However, all this does not mean that I have deliberately abandoned Rejoice and substituted Hail for it. I admit that itwas quite unintentional; | + | However, all this does not mean that I have deliberately abandoned Rejoice and substituted Hail for it. I admit that it was quite unintentional; |
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- | No, I only thank Heaven that my stumble had such very fortunate results, landing me in a better position than I haddesigned; may it not be that Health itself, or Asclepius, inspired me to give you this promise of health? How else should | + | No, I only thank Heaven that my stumble had such very fortunate results, landing me in a better position than I had designed; may it not be that Health itself, or Asclepius, inspired me to give you this promise of health? How else should |
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- | Or, if I may not have recourse to the supernatural, | + | Or, if I may not have recourse to the supernatural, |
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- | As to yourself, I feel sure that, however others may have referred it to stupidity, ignorance, or lunacy, you took it asthe sign of a modest, simple, unspoiled, unsophisticated soul. Absolute confidence in such matters comes dangerously | + | As to yourself, I feel sure that, however others may have referred it to stupidity, ignorance, or lunacy, you took it as the sign of a modest, simple, unspoiled, unsophisticated soul. Absolute confidence in such matters comes dangerously |
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- | There is a story told of the first Augustus. He had given a correct legal decision, which acquitted a maligned person | + | There is a story told of the first Augustus. He had given a correct legal decision, which acquitted a maligned person |
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- | And now that I have got to this point, I have reason to fear that I may be suspected of having made the slip on purpose, | + | And now that I have got to this point, I have reason to fear that I may be suspected of having made the slip on purpose, leading up to this apology. O God of health, only grant me that the quality of my piece may justify the notion that I wanted no more than a peg whereon to hang an essay! |
home/texts_and_library/essays/a-slip-of-the-tongue-in-salutation.1562588175.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/07/08 07:16 by frank