Nothing changes

[asperity]

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."

 

Cicero, 55 BC

[Peter T]

Nice one Asp. And I doubt it ever will. Paper shuffling springs to mind.

[Lt Kije]

This is what Cicero actually said.

 

The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and assistance to foreign hands should be curtailed, lest Rome fall

 

 

Asperity's version was written by an American, and he was not called Cicero

[Mary]

The parallel to Ancient Rome is exactly right!

 

We have everything we need and most of the things we want so we get greedy and lazy and let others make choices for us-- and complain about those choices but do not actually get involved with the choice making.

[Peter T]

Very true Mary.

[harry hayes]

Wasn't the last line of Cicero's speech more or less what Margaret Thatcher was saying with her "no such thing as society" - people should get off their backsides and not expect others to support them.

 

Happy days

[Sue Durnim]

Just goes to show that history does repeat its self.

 

 

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

Alphonse Karr (1808-90).

[asperity]

"Plus ca change, plus ca meme chose" even

[Peter T]

Tres bien, mon ami.

[Jerry]

Lt. Kije -- Cicero wrote in 20th Century English? No wonder your opinions are so off the wall.

 

I studied Cicero's Orations for a year in high school Latin and learned a lot about rhetoric and playing to the crowd, and using phony flattery and persuasive words. (It was third year -- second year was Julius Caesar's war memoirs -- fourth year featured Vergil's AENEID.)

[asperity]

This is what Cicero actually said.

 

The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and assistance to foreign hands should be curtailed, lest Rome fall

 

 

Asperity's version was written by an American, and he was not called Cicero

 

What Cicero actually said was in Latin and therefore open to different interpretations depending on who did the translation. The basic meaning is still the same. But you keep on believing Cicero spoke English LtKije, just don't frighten the horses

[Lt Kije]

Get real Asperity

 

You quoted or should I say mis quoted Cicero, My quote was a literal translation, where yours was an American speech writers perversion of it, and as I said he was not called Cicero. So your quote did not come from Cicero as you claim

 

You could always check the translation for yourself Asp and if you do you will find your version was written by an American speech writer, but I think you already new that didn't you

[asperity]

Whatever LtKije, you just carry on living in your dream world

[Lt Kije]

I take it from your reply you have checked and found your quote to be fiction

[asperity]

Wrong again LtKije

[Lt Kije]

I find it hard to believe that someone like you hasn't checked