[lit-ideas] Martis Fensio: The Spear and the Shield
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:05:07 EST
(♂) (♀)
This message basically to check if these symbols travel:
(♂) (♀)
If they do, the female one is supposed to represent:
VENUS -- Gk. Aphrodite, and her hand mirror. But there is a controversy here
-- an article in JSTOR saying it's shorthand for "ph."
The other one,
MARS -- Gk. Ares, and the shield [protection, defense] and the arrow [or as
I prefer spear, but it does look pretty weird as a spear [offense]. But again,
it may be a shorthand for
the letter "th".
It reminds me of this book on euphemism and dysphemism: language as shelter
and
weapon.
The Anglo-Saxons had "weaponed man" for 'male', as opposed to just 'man'
which
would be 'gender-common' (but not in the sense of androgyn if you know what
I mean)
and "wyf-man" which was a construction out of the earlier word for 'female',
"wife".
I'll have to find, through online Short/Lewis, but someone may assist me,
for the meaning of
FENSIO in the constructions defense and offense.
In any case, it strikes me as too much dwelling on the externals of fight
-- provided we assume, as we should not -- that's the characteristic of the
male.
The prevalence of the shield is a good thing, as it shows some kind of
prudence. The types of sword, spear, arrows (they don't count) as
weapons is D. Ritchie's field of expertise, I understand.
I believe the Spartan jejunity and austerity was best in that
little armour was required.
Just a girding of the loins, and off to battle.
And then Geary will perhaps tell us what's Greek for offensio and defensio
-- since it's "Ares" we're talking about here.
If you think of 'fencing' (qua sport) it's good that the de- was dropped,
since it's the epitome
of the two movements:
-- offense
AND
-- defense
-- literally as two players (or warriors, or combatants) meet.
Cheers,
JL
Buenos Aires, Argentina
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