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Clever Pseudonym's avatar

This is from the Rolfe Humphries translation of Lucretius' De Rerum Natura (highly recommend):

"All men, a little at a time, begin

To mitigate their sense of awe. Look up,

Look up at the pure bright color of the sky,

The wheeling stars, the moon, the shining sun

If all these, all of a sudden, should arise

For the first time before our mortal sight,

What could be called more wonderful, more beyond

The heights to which aspiring mind might dare?

Nothing, I think. And yet, a sight like this,

Marvelous as it is, now draws no man

To lift his gaze to heaven's bright areas.

We are a jaded lot."

Anyone who tells you not to read a book because of the skin color or "problematic views" of its author is a philistine barbarian who should be treated as such.

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Kathleen McCook's avatar

I am glad I read so many of these books. It would be very sad if they are left behind. The Great books inspired many people.

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Clever Pseudonym's avatar

books allow us to converse w (and pick the brains of) some of the wisest most talented and interesting people who ever lived...what could be more fun?

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Bill Heath's avatar

That's three phrases I've read this week I plan to, the last two from you.

- We are a jaded lot

= Philistine barbarian.

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George Eberhart's avatar

Aren't University of Chicago scholars always high and serious?

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Martin Black's avatar

A worthy idea, I've a copy of the Syntopicon, it's quite a work!

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David Roberts's avatar

"Dance not included," but still very cool.

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Kathleen McCook's avatar

It would be tops for me.

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David Roberts's avatar

The butler Smith is making me laugh

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Kathleen McCook's avatar

You have a good eye. It's a tiny bit, but really clever.

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