June 7, 2005
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939, or
Too Clever by HalfOn the new
Prime Minister of France:
“In Praise of Those Who Stole the Fire, M. de Villepin’s grandest
literary effort to date…. will enhance his reputation within a small Paris set, but not in
Washington, where he is already regarded as too clever by half.”– Philip Delves Broughton,
“De Villepin bares soul
as France’s politician poet,”
The Telegraph, May 23, 2003From a Study Guide to
Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus:The Titan Prometheus was “‘… chained to Mount Caucasus where an eagle preyed on
his liver’ (Bullfinch [sic] 939).” The study guide does not say
whether 939 is a page number or paragraph number, nor does it name
which edition of Bulfinch’s Mythology is meant.
The rest of the story:From the Web-Guide to Thomas Pynchon’s V:“Prometheus – One of the Titans of Greek myth, famous as a benefactor of man. Zeus
had him make men out of mud and water; however, pitying mankind, he
stole fire from heaven and gave it to them. As punishment, Zeus chained
him to Mount Caucasus where an eagle preyed on his liver all day, the
liver being renewed at night. Hercules eventually released him and
killed the eagle. Zeus sent Pandora to Earth with her box of evils to
balance the gift of fire.”
Postscript for John Nash:
Why 939 signifies
“too clever by half” –
see 6:26 and 313.See also
Joke #939
Date: Thu, 13 Nov 1997
From: RainybowQ: Do you know why God created woman second?
A: Because he didn’t want all the advice.
