ADonsLife

MaryBeardwrites"ADon'sLife"reportingonboththemodernandtheancientworld.
SubscribetoafeedofthisTimesOnlineblogat
http://timesonline.typepad.com/dons_life/rss.xml
March15,2015

Thepig'sepitaph

<
InthelatestintheTLSVoicesseries,TheaLenarduzzi
speakstoHermioneLeeaboutVirginiaWoolf'sdebut
novel,TheVoyageOut,whichwaspublished100years
agothismonth:
TLS Voices

Hermione

Cookie policy

Follow@TheTLS

Follow

IntheRomanPopularCulturecoursethatIcoordinatewithJerryTonerinCambridge,
wehavebeenspendingabitoftimethinking(a)abouttheroleofpigsinpopular
culture(thefamousTestamentumPorcellibeingagreatexample,thespooflastwill
andtestamentofapigcalledMarcusGrunterCorocotta,andwellknowntoStJerome
asatextthatmadeschoolkidshootwithlaughter,and(b)abouttheroleofthe
RomanepitaphandtombdesignaspartofnoneliteselfrepresentationintheRoman
world(forexamplethesocalledTomboftheBakerorthebitinPetronius'Satyricon
whereTrimalchiogetsdowntohistombdesign,chap.7071here).
Anyway,wehadagood'showandtell'sessioninthelastclassofterm,andoneof
thestudentsbroughtalongsomethingthatIconfessIhadnotseenbefore,andabout
whichIthoughtsomeofyoumighthavesomeideas?
It'stheepitaphofapigpicturedabove,apparentlythevictimofatrafficaccident,from
Macedonia,andofRomandate.(ThereisanarticlebyGDauxaboutitinBCH(Bull.
Corr.Hell.)for1970,butIhavebeenabitconfinedtobase,sohaven'tgoneoutto
checkitout...butfromwhatIgatheritdoesntanswerbyquestions.)
Anywaythetextinhexametersis:
,
,

AndtheEnglishtranslation,courtesyofWiki,is:
Apig,friendtoeverybody
ayoungfourfootedone
hereIlay,havingleft
behind,thelandofDalmatia
,asanofferedgift,
atDyrrachionIwalked
Apolloniayearning
andalltheroadIcrossed
onfootalonesteadily.
Butbytheforceofawheel
Ihavenowlostthelight
longingtoseeEmathia
andthePhallicChariot
HerenowIlie,owing
nothingtodeathanymore
Ok,somyquestionis,whatkindofthingisthis.Ifitisaspoof,likeTestamentum
Porcelliandofthatgenre,thenitisaveryexpensiveone,allreasonablyinscribed
withanotbottomoftherangebitofreliefsculpture.Butdoesitmakeanysensetobe
"real"?Thereareseveralexamplesintheancientanthologiesoffuneraryepigrams
foranimals,includingtheoneonHadrian'shorseBorysthenes:
BorysthenesAlanus,
theswifthorseofCaesar,
whowasaccustomedtofly
throughtheseaandthemarshes
andtheEtruscanmounds,
whilepursuingPannonianboars,notoneboar

TLSwritersdiscussbooks,ideas,events,
newsandtheliteraryworld.

MaryBeardisawickedlysubversive
commentatoronboththemodernand
theancientworld.Sheisaprofessorin
classicsatCambridgeandclassicseditor
oftheTLS.

daredhimtoharm
withhiswhitetooth:
thesalivafromhismouth
scatteredeventhemeanesttail,
asitiscustomtohappen.
Butkilledonadayinhisyouth,
hishealthy,invulnerablebody
hasbeenburiedhereinthefield.
Butit'snotquitethesamesomehow.
SomaybeitisaboutamancalledChoiros(="pig"),andthereliefisavisualpunon
hisname?Thatwouldputitinthesamecategoryasthetombstoneofthepriestof
CybelefromOstiawhichisdecoratedwithalargecockerel(gallus=inLatinboth
"priestofCybele"and"cockerel",thesourceofmanypunsinLatin).
Anythoughts?

PostedbyMaryBeardonMarch15,2015at08:01PM|Permalink

Comments
peterlogandijo...
MaryIlovedwatchingyourtvseriesthanksI'mnotaneducatedpersonbutthank
you
ResponderMarch15,2015at08:18PM
HelenSouthdijo...
Robson,in'Aristophanes,anintroduction'(p.77)pointsoutthatwhenfeminine,
meanspiglet,butwhenmasculine,isaeuphemismforfemale
genitalia.
ResponderMarch15,2015at08:59PM
HelenSouthdijo...
Andanothercluetothejokeisthisafourhorseweddingchariotdepictedinthe
engraving?(itappearstobecarryingapigonaspit,too...)
ResponderMarch15,2015at09:31PM
Judgedijo...
I'mnotaclassicist,buttometheplacenamessuggestitwasapersonwho'dmoved
therefromoutsidethearea.Wouldan'outsider'bemorelikelytohavea
name/nicknamesuchas'Pig'?
ResponderMarch15,2015at09:38PM
vbedijo...
Sincepigscan'ttalkIwouldguessitaspoof.Thoughaveryveryexpensiveone
ResponderMarch15,2015at09:47PM
EricPoehlerdijo...
ThoughIcansaylittleabouttheinscriptionitself,theimageisremarkableinseveral
ways.First,theimageofthefourwheeledwagonisverycarefullydone(ifshrunken
inscaleforthenarrative)anditstypeiswellattestedinartandinarchaeology.Inart,
theLangreswagonorthewineskintransportfromaPompeiifrescocometomind,
whilethewagonsfromvillaAriannaatStabia(Miniero1987,199192)arethebest
archaeologicalparallel.
Iamalsostruckbytheapparentmalicethedonkeys/mulesseemtohaveforthepig
astheytramplehiminhisfirstappearance.Next,wemustimaginethesamepigis
underthewheelsandthen,remarkably(andcomically?),loadedonthewagonasa
curedham!Theinscriptionseemstodescribehimineachposition:onfootinthe
road,underthewheel,andfinally(perhaps?)asagift.
Whateverthecase,agreatfind!
ResponderMarch15,2015at10:08PM
vbedijo...
Anotherslightobservationfromthisfascinatingobjectisthecart.Firstitappearstobe
beingdrawnbyfouranimalsabreastinconvenientandinefficientandsecondlythey
seemtobehorses,butpresumablytheymustbemules.
Eitherwaythisisanexpensivevehicle,onewonderswhatitwascarrying.Giventhe
wholethingisnotajoke.
ResponderMarch15,2015at10:11PM
MarkS.dijo...
Whatistheunusualobjectonthecart?
Isthedriverawoman?Orapriestorpriestess?
Doesthisplaquecomefromatomborfromatemple?Whatisitsprovenance?
Thislookstomelikesomekindofreligiousallegory,whosesignificancewouldbe
knownonlytoinitiatesofaparticularcult.
ResponderMarch15,2015at11:52PM
HelenSouthdijo...
Somefurtherthoughts.ThejourneyaspectisinterestingfromDalmatia(orisit
offeringDalmatia?myGreekgrammaristerrible)throughApollonia&
Dyrrachion....yearningforEmathia.That'salongwaytowalk.
the'phallicchariot'doesthatmeantheTriumphalchariotwiththe'fascinuspopuli
Romani'slungbelowit?
MaybeI'mreadingtoomuchintoit...anditreallyisanepitaphtoasociablepigwho
keptatravelercompany.Pigsareassmartasdogs,afterall.ButIcan'thelp
wonderingifit'sasnarkatsomefailedmilitaryexploit.
ResponderMarch16,2015at01:33AM
Vincentdijo...
I'dsayit'sastudentpiece,ofanundeterminedera.
Iviewitfromthereliefout.Notetheperspectiveisoff,forit'sprobablyfollowinga
seaminthestone.Thatseamwould'vemadeisnighimpossibletochasethroughhad
anattempttolevelitthethesquareofthestoneandthetext.
Thenitlooksasifthetextiscompressedontheright.Ofcoursethatcouldwellbethe
camera.
ThenextbitI'mlesscertain.I'venotseenthatrepeatingofthehorseslegtoshow
movementfromtheClassicalperiodbutthat'safarfromexhaustiveknowledge.ButI
haveseenstoneworklikethiswherethatblurringshowsmovementfromthe
Crusader/Normanperiod.
Isthereanythingtextuallytogiveacluetoperiod.
ResponderMarch16,2015at08:09AM
TimWeakleydijoenrespuestaaEricPoehler...
Theitemofcargobehindthedrivercertainlylookslikeaboiledham,butwhydoesa
spearheademergefromthebackofit,pointingastern?Verydangerousforthenext
teamifthedriverpullsupsuddenly(orwasthistheintention?).
ResponderMarch16,2015at08:46AM
MalcolmMcLeandijo...
Wouldyouputupapermanentspoofmemorialtoadeadfriend?Asabarracksroom
typejoke,maybe,you'dputupamemorial,butnotapermanentone,Idon'tthink,
evenifhediedinaratherfunnyway.Toanenemy,whomyouhatedenoughtospend
thousandsofpoundsintoday'smoneyonaheadstone,therewouldbemore
expressionofglee.Itdoesn'treallymakesenseasamemorialtoahuman.
Roadtrafficaccidentscan'thavebeencommonintheancientworld.Maybethere
wasahangoverfromtheideaofneedingapropitiatethespiritofananimalkilled,
especiallyundersuchunusualcircumstanceswherethehandsofthegodsmust
surelyhavebeeninvolved,butnotsostronglyfeltthatthememorialwasentirely
serious.
ResponderMarch16,2015at08:56AM
MichaelBulleydijo...
Imwonderingwhetheryoumighthavemissedsomethingsoutinyourtranscribingof
theGreekorwhethertheoriginalauthorstumbledoverthehexametersatacoupleof
points.Everythingisfine(puttingyourshortlinestogethertomakethehexameters)
uptoproleloipa,butthenweneedathreesyllablewordtocompletetheline.Thenext
lineisfine(endinginharma),butfromenthadeonwardsthehexameteridea

FRANCESCAWADE

Atangleoffairytales
ALEXANDERMARR

NewpicturesofDescartes?
SARAHWISE

Inthepolicefiles
A.N.WILSON

KingsandQueens
THEALENARDUZZI

CinemafromItaly

collapses.
ResponderMarch16,2015at09:14AM
Anastassiadesdijo...
[Ilikethethreeinoneframecartoonstripapproach,showingthepigbeing,ultimately,
cartedtobeconsumedintowntoknowmoreaboutthestele,onewouldbenefitfrom
lookingatthelatecurator'sPh.Petsas'article,butitseemstobenolongeravailable
onlinehowever,andwhiletheabovespeculationsareindeedmostfascinating,Prof.
TheoAntikas'articleseemstopointto(wards)aconclusionthattheEdessastelepig
isindeed,andjust,acaseof'apigisapigisapig']
http://www.academia.edu/10645211/PigsInGreece_From_Bo_a_ring_Myths_to_Pig_Epitaphs
ResponderMarch16,2015at09:51AM
MichaelBulleydijo...
Asafollowuptomycommentaboutthehexameters,heresanotherversionIfound,
onthewebsitewww.academia.edu/10645211/PigsInGreece.Therearefewerwords.
Ihaveindicatedwithdotstheincompletelines,thatis,2,4,6and7.

...

...

....
...
ResponderMarch16,2015at10:20AM
MichaelBulleydijo...
Sillyme!I'vejustrealisedthatalltheGreekwordsareactuallyinthephoto!Butit's
hardtoread.I'llhavealooklaterwithmydictionaryglasseson.
ResponderMarch16,2015at10:31AM
RichardFranklindijo...
Everybodylovesacutepig.ThinkBabe,thepigwhobecameasheepdog,er,sheep
pig.
MyfavoritepigispartofthesuovetauriliareliefattheLouvre,whichIfinallysaw
duringtheParisversionoftheAugustusexhibit.Favoritebecausethepigistugging
thepriestsrobe,almostpleadingnottobesacrificed.Hisalmosthumanplightis
contrastedtothegrimsmirkinghumansintheprocession.
ResponderMarch16,2015at10:59AM
MichaelBulleydijo...
Sorrytobehoggingthingshere,buthavingcometomysensesandhavingactually
lookednowatthewordsonthephotoofthegravestone,Iseetheyareexactlyas
MaryBeardgivesthemabove.Asforthescansion,myguessisthatthestone
masonwasgiventhetextandeitherbymistakeordeliberately,becausehecouldnt
fitthemin,missedoutsomewords,withtheresultthatthreeofthehexameterlines
aretooshortandwearelackingsomethingafter,and
.
Ihavemydoubts,though,aboutphalloio,unlessanyonecansupplyinformationabout
phallicchariotsinancientMacedonia.Mightitbeamistakeforphalio(n),meaning
shiningorsplendid,againwithextrascansionproblems?
ResponderMarch16,2015at01:36PM
MichaelBulleydijo...
Wecouldcheatalittleandmakethelastlineanicepentameter,missingouthereand
anotnecessarythe

(nowIlie,nolongerowinganythingtodeath).
Tobenitpicky,theWikitranslatorshouldhavewrittenhereIlie(not'hereIlay')the
firsttime,asheorshedidlater,andanymore.
ResponderMarch16,2015at08:00PM
AndrewCaterdijo...
Apiginawain
Isapaintoexpain
Macedonian/Greek?
Orapun,sotospeak?
Thissteleorstone
Standsaloofandalone
Suchaclassicaljoke
Isapiginapoke
ResponderMarch16,2015at09:11PM
HelenSouthdijoenrespuestaaMichaelBulley...
Michael,Ithinkyoumayberightaboutphalio(n)I'veseenittranslatedelsewhereas
'shining'.
ResponderMarch16,2015at09:46PM
HelenSouthdijoenrespuestaaMalcolmMcLean...
Malcolm,IhadalsowonderedasVincentinthecommentabove,ifitmighthavebeen
astudentpiece.
Idon'tthinkcomedyisoutofthequestionasIfeeltheGreeksandRomanstooktheir
comedyveryseriously:Dbutyoumakeanexcellentpoint.
Thereseemstobesomethingofaconsensusthatitis,infact,anepitaphtoapig.A
littlegrandiose,asepitaphsarewonttobe,butifIwasaprosperousmerchant,I'd
havespentthatkindofmoneymemorializingmybeloveddog.
ResponderMarch16,2015at09:50PM
OliviaByarddijo...
AssomeonewhounderstandsnoGreek,thepiecelookstomeasacommenton
mortalityandimmortality.
SoIlookedupthefourhorses(wonderingifthefourhorsesoftheapocalypsehas
history)andasyouallknowtheydo,inGreekhorsesof
immortality.
ThewordforpiginIndoEuropeanlanguagescomesfromIndoEuropean'su'(sow)
andalthoughalteredtoCircesandsorceressandallsuchfemalemagic,hasalways
beenassociatedwithdeaththedevourer.
Itmakesmethinkofhowthepigfirstleads,thenfalls,thenbecomesmeatiegetsits
comeuppance,whilethehorsesgetverypowerful......
AndIwonderifitispreservedinstonecarvingsbecauseitexactlyillustratesthat
changethedeathofoldpowerietheremnantsofancientmatriarchies,andthe
riseofnewpatriarchalpowerthehorse(gods).
ButIstressIcanonlygiveanimpressionofwhatIseedepictedIdon'tknowthe
languageoriconographyasyoualldo.8)
ResponderMarch16,2015at11:12PM
Vincentdijo...
BeannachtlafheilePadraicdoanollamhMaryagusgachduineanseo.
ResponderMarch17,2015at12:01PM
MaryBearddijo...
Ok..herearetherealexperts
ProfPeterKruschwitz:
ItrustyouknowG.Herrlinger,TotenklageumTiere?It'sprettycomprehensive.
AndDrThonemann,fromOxford:
It'saperfectlybonafidepig,killedinthecourseofanEdessanfestival,probablyto
Demeter.Thepig'sownerhadcomealongway(alongtheviaEgnatia,nicely
describedintheepigram)asapilgrimtothefestival.Thepigwasrunoverbyafour
horsechariotcarryingamonumentalphallus(depictedonthestele)duringthemain
festivalprocession.Thisnuminousdeathgavethepig'sownerthespooks,and
promptedthesurprisinglylavishhighqualitystelefortheunfortunateporker.Thepig's
ownerhadprobablybeenintendingtosacrificethisverypiglateroninthecourseof
theverysamefestival.
Justthinkifyou'dbroughtapigahundredmilestosacrificeitatafestival,onlyto
findthatthegoddesspreferredtoseeitcrushedunderthewheelsofachariot
carryinganenormouswilly,wouldn'tyousetupasteletocommemorateit?
Hecites:FranoisChamoux,here:
http://www.persee.fr/web/ouvrages/home/prescript/article/efr_0000
0000_1974_ant_22_1_1671?_Prescripts_Search_tabs1=standard&

...andafewyearslater,byNicolasNikolaou,here:
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/reg_0035
2039_1985_num_98_465_1418
Arentblogsgreat.
ResponderMarch17,2015at09:10PM
MichaelBulleydijo...
IseethatFranoisChamoux(MaryBeardsfirstlink)proposesseriouslywhatI
suggestedabovefrivolously:thatthelastlinewasmeanttobeapentameter,butthat
twoextrawordsgotputinbymistake.Heoptsforcuttingouthereandnow,
whereasIwentforhereandthe.Healsothinksawordismissingbeforeproleloipa
inline5andhesuggestsone,whereasIthoughtthemissingwordmightcomeafter,
attheendoftheline,butIcouldntthinkofone.
TheimageintheChamouxarticle,bytheway,isfarclearerthantheoneatthetop
here.Itseasytoreadthewords.Theyreinmuchsharperrelief.
If,however,youthinkthatpointedobjectonthechariotisaphallus,youveeithergot
amorevividimaginationthanIhaveorphalluseshavechangedalotsinceancient
Greektimes.
ResponderMarch17,2015at10:16PM
OliviaByarddijo...
Well,I'mstillhappywithmyinterpretation,expertornot.It'snowstuckinmymind.
Iwonderwhatthatsaysaboutintention,depiction,whatisseen,andhowitis
understood.
Backtomybreak.......8)
ResponderMarch17,2015at11:12PM
Truthlorddijo...
MayIsuggestitsmerelyanothercaseofourbrilliantdeeplylearnedlinguistsetcnot
quiteseeingthewoodforthetrees?
Beardmustbeveryannoyedasthisstorywould/shouldhavefeaturedinherbookon
humour.
Ihavealreadysuggestedthatthehumourinaviciouslyslaveowingsocietylike
Romewasalmostentirelysadisticineverykindofsubtleway.Thischaracteristic
applieswhenanygroupevennonslaveowning,havecompletesocialandeconomic
poweretcoveranotherasinVictorianEnglandrightthroughuntilWW2.
Rightuptothethistimetheservants,theirproblems,theproblemstheycaused,their
stupidityrventheirsmell,formedalmosttheentirebasisformiddleandupperclass
femaleconversation.
Returningtothecaseofthepig,ananimalconsideredthelowestofthelowasitcan
liveonhumanfeces(IveseenthisinChina)..Weseethisdeadpigtreatedwithwhat
wasenormoushumandignityandveneration.Thetrickbeingthatindoingthisone
washumiliatingthepositionofthethreeoutoffiveRomanswhoweretotally
disposableslaves,andwhocouldbeabusedtorturedvivisectedorusedforamusing
displaysofslaughterallthetimeandeverywhere
Inthissituationthetreatingofapigashumanandaveryimportanthumantoo,would
havehadtheRomanpopulationcompletelyhystericalwithmirthEndofstory.
ResponderMarch17,2015at11:13PM
vbedijo...
NoargumentwithDrThonemanbutwould'ntithavebeenwisertobuyapigcloserto
thefestival,ashappenstodayingreatreligiousfestivals?
Andisthatreallyaphallusinthecart,lookslikeabird'scarcasstome.
ResponderMarch18,2015at08:57AM
itumpidijoenrespuestaaVincent...
Diolchynfawriawnacyrunpethitithau!
ResponderMarch18,2015at09:55AM
MichaelBulleydijo...
Aha!Moreonthatthingonthechariot.IvereadmoreoftheChamouxarticlenow,
whichisaconfusingone,asheseemstoabandonthepig,spendingseveral
paragraphstalkingaboutotheranimals,butthensuddenlyreturnstoourstele.
Thisiswhathesays(IhavenoideawhetherhesrightImyourpentameterexpert,
notyourancientgravestoneone).Ivecondenseditabit.
AtDelos,thephallusprocessionusedachariotthatcarriedabigphallus,known
genericallyasanagalma,whichhadasitsmainelementalong,thinstalkinsertedinto
amodelintheformofabird...VasepaintingsshowthatthisDionysiacphalluscould
simplybealongpoleormast,crudelycharacterisedbyareinforcementatthetip
representingtheglans...Theserepresentationswerehardlyrealistic.Inourepitaph,
thechariotisacermonialoneandthelongobjectonitisanagalma,representingthe
phallus,thesymbolofthegodDionysus.
So,thesuggestionfromvbeabovethattheobjectlookslikeabirdcarcassiscorrect,
accordingtoChamoux.Sowehavesomethingthatdoesntlookatalllikeareal
phallus,butissupposedtorepresentonebeingcarriedinaphallusprocession
ceremony.Butwasthepigrunoverbythatchariotorjustanordinaryonecarrying
vegetablesandtheartisthasconflatedthetwoideas?
ResponderMarch18,2015at10:26AM
JenniferO'NeilldijoenrespuestaaVincent...
Goraibhmaithagat!
ResponderMarch18,2015at10:26AM
vbedijo...
"Ihavealreadysuggestedthatthehumourinaviciouslyslaveowingsocietylike
Romewasalmostentirelysadisticineverykindofsubtleway."
Whydowehavetoputupwiththis?
Nearlyeverysocietyintheworldwasslaveowninguntilthelate18th19thcentury.
ButwestilllaughatChaucer,Smolletetc.
ResponderMarch18,2015at11:51AM
MalcolmMcLeandijoenrespuestaaTruthlord...
Theideathatit'sajoketotreatananimalasahumanisquiteasophisticatedone.
Therewasawidespreadbeliefthatdeitiesassumedanimalforms,thatbirdsand
animalsweretheirspiesorbearersofomens,thatcatshadtobemummifiedafter
death,thatananimalcouldsubstituteforahumanasasacrifice,andsoon.
Howeverwe'reseeingthefirstglimmeringsofthathere.It'shardtotellsinceIcan't
readGreekandtoneisoneofthethingslostintranslation.Butthememorialdoesn't
seemtobeentirelyserious.
ResponderMarch18,2015at11:55AM
GigiSantowdijoenrespuestaaJenniferO'Neill...
IfyouanditumpiandVincentwouldjustconverseinclassicalGreektherestofus
mighthavesomeideaofwhatyou'retalkingabout.Please,havepity.
ResponderMarch18,2015at12:18PM
TimWeakleydijoenrespuestaaitumpi...
Goodness,Itumpi,thatsoundslikethedruid'scurse.Dogiveusatranslation!
Youtoo,Jennifer.
ResponderMarch18,2015at12:21PM
AHardiedijo...
I'dsaythe'horses'aremules,assomeoneabovesuggested,judgingbytheirears.
Butisn'titabitoddthatmules,whicharesterile,shouldbeincludedinaprocessionin
honourofDemeter,goddessofagriculturalfertility?Perhapstheyareactuallyhorses
andtheearsjustlookfunnybecausethenottopoftherangesculptorwantedto
showthemlaidbackinalarmhorses_really_dislikepigs.Icanimaginethedriver
temporarilylosingcontrolofthephallophoricvehicle,hencetheaccident.
ResponderMarch18,2015at12:25PM
vbedijo...
Arewetosupposethatinthemiddleofaprocessiontheyletspigsrunaroundthe
legsofthehorses/mules?
Soundsaverydangerousproceeding.
ResponderMarch18,2015at02:29PM
MalcolmMcLeandijoenrespuestaavbe...
Chaucer'ssocietyhadserfs,notslaves.Aserfwastiedtotheland,soifyouowned
theland,theserfcamewithit.Butthelandownerdidn'thaverightstodeprivetheserf
ofhislandarbitrarily,soitwasratherdifferenttoslavery.Serfsdidn'thavetherightto
leavethelandandseektheirfortuneabroad,butformostthatwasmoreatheoretical

restrictionthanarealone,analogoustoamodernmortgageholdernothavingthe
righttoabandonhishousetotheelementsmostpeoplewouldn'twanttodothat
anyway.
ResponderMarch18,2015at03:11PM
PLdijo...
Iwonderaboutthewaythefirsthalfoftheinscriptionissqueezedinawkwardly
aroundtherelief.Imeantthinkifimageandinscriptionwereintendedtogotogether
fromthebeginning,thedesignwouldhaveallowedaproperspaceforboth.Couldthis
beacaseofgraffitoonamonument?
ResponderMarch18,2015at03:56PM
MichaelBulleydijo...
Hereitisinverse.Twothingstonote:Edessaisstressedonthefirstsyllable(or,at
least,itisinmodernGreek)and,justliketheoriginalversifier,Iveputonefoottoo
manyinthelastline.
BeneaththisstoneIlie,apig,toeveryoneafriend.
DalmatiawasmystartinlifeandEdessamyend.
IwalkedacrossDyrrachiumwithlonginginmyheart
ToseeatlastEmathiaandthelovelyphalliccart.
Butthatsamechariotswheelhasnowdeprivedmeofthelight
And,owingnothingmoretodeath,Ilieineverlastingnight.
ResponderMarch18,2015at07:32PM
JenniferO'NeilldijoenrespuestaaGigiSantow...
Ifonly...ButhereinmyAntipodeanfastness,theopportunitydidnotpresentitself.
ResponderMarch18,2015at11:44PM
JenniferO'NeilldijoenrespuestaaTimWeakley...
Mycommentwasmerely:'Thankyou'.IwishIcouldtranslatetheWelshofitumpi.
ResponderMarch18,2015at11:45PM
vbedijo...
Chaucer'ssocietyhadserfs,notslaves."
Thedifferencebeingnegligible.
Aserfwastiedtotheland,soifyouownedtheland,theserfcamewithit."
Sotheywereaccessories,bigdifference.IncidentlyserfsinRussiaweresoldand
traded.
Butthelandownerdidn'thaverightstodeprivetheserfofhislandarbitrarily,soitwas
ratherdifferenttoslavery."
No,sincethelandowneroftenwasthelocalmagistrate/sheriffthisdistinctiondidnot
apply.Suggestyouread"TimeTravellersGuidetotheMiddleAges"byIanMortimer
andhissectionon"sheriffs".
"Serfsdidn'thavetherighttoleavethelandandseektheirfortuneabroad,butfor
mostthatwasmoreatheoreticalrestrictionthanarealone,analogoustoamodern
mortgageholdernothavingtherighttoabandonhishousetotheelementsmost
peoplewouldn'twanttodothatanyway."
Plainsilly.Ifyouhadreadalittlemoreyouwouldlearnthatfeudalobligationswenta
lotwiderthanthat.Serfsmightbeobligedtoaccompanytheirmastersinwar,work
unpaidinminesetc.
ThewordserfitselfcomesfromtheLatinservus,slaveasinservile.
ResponderMarch19,2015at09:42AM
Commentbeloworsigninwith
Typepad
andmore...

Facebook

Twitter

(URLsenlazadasautomticamente.)

Nosemostrarladireccindecorreoenelcomentario.

Nombre
Correoelectrnico
SitioWeb
Comentar Vistaprevia

RSSFEEDS

ClickhereforRSS2.0Feed
SUBSCRIBE

Since1902,theTimes
LiterarySupplementhas
scrutinized,dissected,
applaudedandoccasionally
disparaged,theworkofthe
twentiethcenturysleading
writersandthinkers.

Google+

Thenewdigitaleditionofthe
TLSisclearandeasyto
read,withsimplenavigation,
beautifulimages,auser
friendlysearchfunctionand
sharingfacility.
TodownloadtheTLSfor
iPadoriPhone,clickhere.
TodownloadtheTLSforthe
KindleFire,clickhere(UK)
orhere(US)orsearchfor
TimesLiterarySupplement
inyournationalAmazon
domain.
SubscribetotheTLSforless
today
THREERANDOMPOSTS

TheadventuresofLord
Elgin'sson
LegoPompeii
Theelectionstartinggun
RECENTPOSTS

Thepig'sepitaph
Castmuseums
Mynewcar
InternationalWomen'sDay
forhistorians
Thecultureofentrapment
RECENTCOMMENTS

vbeonThepig'sepitaph
JenniferO'NeillonThepig's
epitaph
JenniferO'NeillonThepig's
epitaph
PLonCastmuseums
MichaelBulleyonThepig's
epitaph
RECENTPIECESFROM
THETLS

ModernsexismbyRoz
Dineen
RescuingBrechtbyMichael
Hofmann
TLSPoemoftheWeek:The
ForgeoftheSolsticeby
VernonWatkins
PatrickModianowinsthe
NobelPrizeinLiterature
WhatistheGreatAmerican
Novel?bySarahGraham
TheRiceportraitandthe
greatJaneAustendebate
Morerecentpiecesfromthe
TLS
LINKS

TheTimesOpEdLive
Fairing'sParish
Books,Inq
Podularity
Metrolingua
IainDale'sDiary
OperaChic
LibertyLondonGirl
BishopsBlog
BloggingPompeii
SudanOpenArchive
SapiensTribune
CultureGrrl
Bookdwarf
BLDGBLOG

UniversityDiaries
JennyDiski
Philobiblon
RomanHistoryBooks
Rogueclassicism
ARCHIVES

March2015
February2015
January2015
December2014
November2014
October2014
September2014
August2014
July2014
June2014

FAQs

HowtoAdvertise

PrivacyPolicy

Syndication

TermsandConditions

CopyrightTheTimesLiterarySupplementLimited2011.
TheTimesLiterarySupplementLimited:3ThomasMoreSquare,LondonE981XY.
RegisteredinEngland.Companyregistrationnumber:935240.VATno:GB243805469.

Contactus