5.0614 Rs: Latin Lines; Goya's Majas;... (4/95)

Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Mon, 20 Jan 1992 17:38:55 EST

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 5, No. 0614. Monday, 20 Jan 1992.

(1) Date: Thu, 16 Jan 92 05:40:27 PST (30 lines)
From: cbf@athena.berkeley.edu (Charles Faulhaber)
Subject: Re: 5.0603 Queries (4/102)

(2) Date: Fri, 17 Jan 92 4:44:16 CST (27 lines)
From: gary forsythe <gfgf@midway.uchicago.edu>
Subject: Hic iacet lepus

(3) Date: Thu, 16 Jan 92 20:50 EST (22 lines)
From: "Gilbert Smith" <N567126@NCSUADM.BITNET>
Subject: Goya's Majas

(4) Date: Fri, 17 Jan 92 08:32:21 PST (16 lines)
From: elliot@nowalls.ucsd.edu (Elliot Kanter)
Subject: E. Kennedy's message on videotape

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 92 05:40:27 PST
From: cbf@athena.berkeley.edu (Charles Faulhaber)
Subject: Re: 5.0603 Queries (4/102)

HIC JACET PULVIS CINIS ET NIHIL reminds
me of the last line of the famous sonnet
"Mientras por competir con tu cabello"
of the 17th-c. Spanish poet Luis de Gongora:

"en tierra, en humo, en polvo, en sombra, en nada"
i.e., the fate of all human beings as well as
human and earthly beauty, is to turn 'into
earth, smoke, dust, shadow, nothing.'

In turn it was imitated by, among others, the
late 17th-c. colonial Mexican poet, Sor Juana
Ine's de la Cruz in her "Este que ves, engan~o
colorido":

"es cadaver, es polvo, es sombra, es nada"

This which you see before you `is a cadaver,
dust, a shadow, nothing."

My own speculation is that the Latin is earlier
and that Gongora, who was very erudite, is playing
on it.

Charles Faulhaber
UC Berkeley

(2) --------------------------------------------------------------38----
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 92 4:44:16 CST
From: gary forsythe <gfgf@midway.uchicago.edu>
Subject: Hic iacet lepus

I just finished reading the summary of responses on the saying "here the hare
lies', and I would like to point out one more aspect of this saying which may
contribute to its understanding and origin. It seems likely from the
responses that this expression has its origin in Medieval Latin. Since my
area of expertise is ancient history, perhaps others can follow up on this
suggestion. At any rate, it seems to me that there was initially a double
meaning implicit in this expression, and that Medieval writers of Latin often
reveled in such word play. The relevant fact is that classical Latin has two
words that are very similar, if not identical, in form: lepos (or lepor),
leporis = charm, wit; and lepus, leporis = hare. It should be noted that
these two words differ only in the spelling of the nominative singular form.
I know for a fact that the Roman imperial poet Martial wrote a few short
epigrams in which the humor of the lines turned on the ambiguity of
lepos/lepus. I would therefore like to suggest that at some point (either
Roman imperial, late antique, or Medieval) some wag coined the phrase 'hic
iacet lepus' with this double meaning clearly in mind and alluding to
something where wit or cleverness would be needed to appreciate or unravle
some puzzle. Does anyone out there have any further reflections on this
saying?

Gary Forsythe
University of Chicago
gfgf@midway.uchicago.edu

(3) --------------------------------------------------------------25----
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 92 20:50 EST
From: "Gilbert Smith" <N567126@NCSUADM.BITNET>
Subject: Goya's Majas

In response to Eric Rabkin's comments on Goya and Velazquez:
I have frequently heard the story that the painting of the naked
maja is in fact of the Duchess of Alba, but that Goya finally
substituted another woman's head on the painting to avoid
scandal.... I have always wondered if that is true??? The story
becomes more delicious because of the other story -- which is true,
I believe.... that in the tomb of Goya in the Church of San Antonio
de la Florida in Madrid, lies his body, but not his head, which was
stolen at some point. In which church, BTW, are the marvelous
paintings of the Goya angels on the ceiling. Worth a visit, for
it is one of the more interesting sights in a city which is strangely
devoid of tourist sites (after the Prado and the National Palace,
there is not much to SEE, in the tourist sense). I join the
Spaniards in believing tht Velazquez' <Las meninas> is their
greatest painting. The most extraordinary painting ever, I think.
.
Gilbert Smith <N567126@NCSUADM>
North Carolina State University

(3) --------------------------------------------------------------29----
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 92 08:32:21 PST
From: elliot@nowalls.ucsd.edu (Elliot Kanter)
Subject: E. Kennedy's message on videotape

I am almost certain I saw the speech by Edward Kennedy on
C-Span. Purdue University maintains the "Public Affairs
Video Archives", reportedly a complete collection ongoing
of C-Span programming. They will search for and sell
tapes at relatively low rates for educational purposes.
They can be reached at
BITNET: pava@purccvm
PHONE: 317-494-9630

Elliot Kanter
University of Calif., San Diego
ekanter@ucsd.edu