Re: The fable of DEMETRIUS, CONSTRAINTICUS, and AUTOMATICUS

From: Marshall Spight <mspight_at_dnai.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 08:57:55 GMT
Message-ID: <nSKdd.402858$mD.162285_at_attbi_s02>


"Kenneth Downs" <firstinit.lastname_at_lastnameplusfam.net> wrote in message news:au87lc.enk.ln_at_mercury.downsfam.net...
> Laconic2 wrote:
>
> >
> > "'My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. Look on my works, ye mighty, and
> > despair!'
> > Nothing beside remains."
> >
>
> Drifting off topic here, I thought Ozymandias was historical, you had me
> googling him only to find it was Shelley.

Gotta know your Shelley.

"Whose frown, and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, tell that its sculptor well those passions read, which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, the hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed."

Sounds like Constrainticus.

And let's not forget Ode to the West Wind. Read it slowly; read it aloud, read it at least once a year.

> It put me in the mind of Cyrus of Persia,
>
> "I am Cyrus, King of the World, Great King, Mighty King!"

The Persian emperors used as their title "King of Kings" and this is thought to have been known to Shelley when he wrote the poem. Actually there's a whole story about Ozymandias being written after a visit Shelley made to Egypt, but it appears the story is apochryphal. Which is kind of funny, because the poem really does suggest ancient Persia. And yet, the Persians didn't make big stone monuments until after they conquered Egypt, so there's the Egyptian influence on Persia anyway.

Uh, it's really late, isn't it?

> I always figured that would be a great name for a military strategy game,
> "Great King, Mighty King!"

Cool!

Marshall Received on Thu Oct 21 2004 - 10:57:55 CEST

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