For Christmas, from my sister (thanks Carolyn) I received a copy of the Collected Poems of Robert Graves, the 1961 edition. Thanks Carolyn.
Robert Graves was a scholar, known in that capacity for his translation of Suetonius' classic, The Twelve Caesars, as well as a novelist, known for his dramatization of Suetonius' work in I, Claudius and Claudius the God.
One wonders what the shade of Suetonius, no doubt wandering about in Limbo, thinks of Graves. Is he grateful for the publicity or does he feel ripped off?
Anyhoo ... the poems have nothing to do with all that. There is a good deal that one might say about these poems on a close reading and I will try to say some of it, as to a couple of them, for tomorrow's entry.
Showing posts with label ancient Rome. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ancient Rome. Show all posts
06 January 2011
29 May 2009
Spelling Bee
I watched the final rounds of the Scripps National spelling Bee yesterday and, as always, was impressed by the composure as much as the erudition of the young folks in the final round.
The contestant who won second prize -- Tim Ruiter of Centreville, Va. -- was finally eliminated by the word "Maecenas," meaning "a generous patron, especially of literature or art."
Maecenas doesn't have a very helpful etymology. It comes from a proper name -- in this case, from the name of Gaius Maecenas, a Roman statesman of the first century BC. With many words, a speller who knows etymology, definition, etc. (the points spellers are allowed and encouraged to ask about in these contests) can infer the right spelling. But in the case of a proper name, poor Tim would have to have seen it -- or guessed it rightly.
His guess began with My ... and he was done.
Well, not entirely. For the remaining speller in such circumstances is not allowed to win by elimination. She had to get her word right. If Kavya Shivashankar had gotten her next word (Laodicean) wrong, Tim would have been asked back on stage, and the contest would have continued.
Kavya did know Laodicean, and took the title. I confess I not only would not have been able to spell the word, I had no idea what it meant until the ABC commentators on the spelling-bee program explained it to me. The term means indifference or lukewarmth in matters of religion.
And it too is a proper name in origin, though the name of a place rather than a person.
The contestant who won second prize -- Tim Ruiter of Centreville, Va. -- was finally eliminated by the word "Maecenas," meaning "a generous patron, especially of literature or art."
Maecenas doesn't have a very helpful etymology. It comes from a proper name -- in this case, from the name of Gaius Maecenas, a Roman statesman of the first century BC. With many words, a speller who knows etymology, definition, etc. (the points spellers are allowed and encouraged to ask about in these contests) can infer the right spelling. But in the case of a proper name, poor Tim would have to have seen it -- or guessed it rightly.
His guess began with My ... and he was done.
Well, not entirely. For the remaining speller in such circumstances is not allowed to win by elimination. She had to get her word right. If Kavya Shivashankar had gotten her next word (Laodicean) wrong, Tim would have been asked back on stage, and the contest would have continued.
Kavya did know Laodicean, and took the title. I confess I not only would not have been able to spell the word, I had no idea what it meant until the ABC commentators on the spelling-bee program explained it to me. The term means indifference or lukewarmth in matters of religion.
And it too is a proper name in origin, though the name of a place rather than a person.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
