PRELUDE
After an inexcusable absence from my desk, perpetuated in
no small part by the madness of the holidays, I have decided
it is once again time to further enlighten you, my loyal readers.
Over Christmas, I received a book that will help me achieve
that goal: Oxymoronica. It is a
collection of paradoxical parables that bundle advice and
humor in a few choice words. All three quotes this week come
from my new treasure trove. As a resolution, this year I have
decided to be more disciplined as an editor. I think everyone
would be better served by additional doses of the Quotidian,
so expect to receive a new issue every two weeks hence. Enjoy.
QUOTES
OF THE WEEK
“I
often marvel that while each man loves himself more than anyone
else, he sets less value on his own estimate than on the opinions
of others.”
—Marcus Aurelius,
in Meditations
“As a rule, what is out of sight disturbs men’s
minds more seriously than what they see.”
—Julius Caesar,
in Gallic Wars
“Too much liberty leads both men and nations to slavery.”
—Cicero,
in De Republica
THIS
WEEK IN HISTORY
JANUARY
24, A.D. 41: Gaius Caesar Germanicus (better known as
Caligula) is assassinated by members of his Praetorian Guard
(an elite unit of handpicked soldiers that acted as bodyguards
for the emperor). As a small child, Caligula accompanied his
parents on military campaigns in Germania, where his mother
often dressed him in a miniature soldier’s costume.
The soldiers, amused by this display, nicknamed Gaius Caligula,
meaning “little boots” (from caliga, the word
for the familiar brown sandal worn by Roman soldiers).
Relatively little is known about Caligula, but he is widely
regarded by history as a prat, given to extravagance and depravity.
The tales range from the outrageous (that he appointed his
horse to the Senate) to the lascivious (that he had sexual
relations with his sisters). Contemporary historians speculate
that these unsavory habits were the result of encephalitis,
a swelling of the brain brought about by viral infection.
Continued on page 2, column 1
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WORDS
Memorize these by week's end and you shall
quickly develop an enviable lexicon.
This week’s theme: common Latin phrases.
alma
mater (AL-muh MAU-ter) noun – literally,
“fostering mother” |
| 1. |
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a school or university which one has attended or from
which one has graduated |
| 2. |
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the song or hymn of such school |
Ex.
I recently sent a donation to my alma mater. |
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sina qua non (sin-i kwa nAWN, KNOWN) noun
– literally, “without
which not”
|
| 1. |
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an indispensable or essential thing |
Ex.
For nearly 20 years, Alan Greenspan has been the
sine qua non of the Federal Reserve Board.
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non sequitur (non SEK-wet-er) noun –
literally, “it does
not follow”
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| 1. |
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an inference that does not follow from the premises |
| 2. |
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a statement that does not follow logically from anything
previously said |
Ex.
A well-timed non sequitur can be humorous,
but an ill-timed one will make you look like a
fool. |
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