Homer, the Dude, and "What?"

[Jeff Bernstein]

PT

Alma’s “Let me drive” is powerfully reminiscent of Medea’s appeal for “committe habenas, genitor”, which, in both cases, leads to horror. (“let me take the reins, father”; Seneca, 33.)

 

TARANTINO

(a.) From the ancient Greek dictionary Liddell & Scott :
“ τίζω (verb) : to be always asking ‘what?’ ”

 

(b.) Michael Madsen refers to his gun : “I feel naked without it.”
This is the very use of the word in the Iliad : “γυμνός” means both “unarmed” and “naked” (e.g. XVI.815).

 

STAR WARS

In Virgil’s Aeneid, the Queen says to her warrior son, at crunch time : “spes tu nunc una” (XII.57) :
“You’re my only hope.”

 

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN / THE ILIAD

(a.) ἐπιλίγδην : “glance shot” (XVII.599)

(b.) In the same sentence (XVII.599) is the phrase γράψεν δέ οἱ ὀστέον ἄχρις : “cut all the way to the bone”, which recalls : “Mister, you got a bone sticking out your arm.”

(b.) “the one right tool”
ὄρσεο κυλλοπόδιον ἐμὸν τέκος: ἄντα σέθεν γὰρ
Ξάνθον δινήεντα μάχῃ ἠΐσκομεν εἶναι : (XXI.331–32)
ἠΐσκομεν = “the one right tool”

(c.) ἀμφήριστον ἔθηκεν : “the issue is not certain.” (XXIII.382)

(d.) μύθοις λαβρεύεαι : “big talk” (XXIII.478)

(e.) ( θεοὶ ) εἰσορόωντες : (The gods) : “We’ll look into it.” (XXIV.23)

ALSO:

“You can see the sipes real clear.” (29:45)
Ovid, Metamorphoses (II.133) : “manifesta rotae vestigia cernes”

 

EWS

Domino : “I’d rather not put it into words.”
Seneca’s Oedipus : “eloqui fatum, pudet.” (19)

 

BIG LEBOWSKI

Brandt to The Dude : “Her life is in your hands.”
Oedipus to Tiresias : “ ἐν σοὶ γὰρ ἐσμέν “ (Sophocles, 314)
      reply :
The Dude : “Oh, man, don’t say that . . .”
Tiresias : “ φεῦ φεῦ, φρονεῖν ὡς δεινὸν ἔνθα μὴ τέλη λύῃ φρονοῦντι ” (316–7)
(Tiresias : “Damn, man, why must I know what I don’t want to know?” )

 

FULL METAL JACKET

Hartman : “Disappear, scumbag!”
King Priam : “Disappear, wretch!”
“ ἔρρετε , λωβητῆρες ! ”
(Iliad, XXIV.239)

 

BONUS:

The Master : “We fought against the day and we won.”
What does this mean?
Rewritten by yours truly : “Only those who sail against the prevailing winds reach their destination.”
Now what does that mean?
Whatever the world is thinking and feeling, don’t think or feel that. Be Yourself and Stand Strong.

But don’t take my word for it. Take the Master’s.