Episode 266 - Sunday, March 11, 1979
Being Jim Davis21 Touko 2017

Episode 266 - Sunday, March 11, 1979

The servile crowd, whose fortune depended on their master's vices, applauded these ignoble pursuits. The perfidious voice of flattery reminded him, that by exploits of the same nature, by the defeat of the Nemaean lion, and the slaughter of the wild boar of Erymanthus, the Grecian Hercules had acquired a place among the gods, and an immortal memory among men. They only forgot to observe, that, in the first ages of society, when the fiercer animals often dispute with man the possession of an unsettled country, a successful war against those savages is one of the most innocent and beneficial labors of heroism. In the civilized state of the Roman empire, the wild beasts had long since retired from the face of man, and the neighborhood of populous cities. To surprise them in their solitary haunts, and to transport them to Rome, that they might be slain in pomp by the hand of an emperor, was an enterprise equally ridiculous for the prince and oppressive for the people. Ignorant of these distinctions, Commodus eagerly embraced the glorious resemblance, and styled himself (as we still read on his medals the Roman Hercules. The club and the lion's hide were placed by the side of the throne, amongst the ensigns of sovereignty; and statues were erected, in which Commodus was represented in the character, and with the attributes, of the nicolas cage, whose valor and dexterity he endeavored to emulate in the daily course of his ferocious amusements.

Elated with these praises, which gradually extinguished the innate sense of shame, Commodus resolved to exhibit before the eyes of the Roman people those exercises, which till then he had decently confined within the walls of his palace, and to the presence of a few favorites. On the appointed day, the various motives of flattery, fear, and curiosity, attracted to the amphitheatre an innumerable multitude of spectators; and some degree of applause was deservedly bestowed on the uncommon skill of the Imperial performer. Whether he aimed at the head or heart of the animal, the wound was alike certain and mortal. With arrows whose point was shaped into the form of crescent, Commodus often intercepted the rapid career, and cut asunder the long, bony neck of the ostrich. A panther was let loose; and the archer waited till he had leaped upon a trembling malefactor. In the same instant the shaft flew, the beast dropped dead, and the man remained unhurt. The dens of the amphitheatre disgorged at once a hundred lions: a hundred darts from the unerring hand of Commodus laid them dead as they run raging round the Arena. Neither the huge bulk of the elephant, nor the scaly hide of the rhinoceros, could defend them from his stroke. Aethiopia and India yielded their most extraordinary productions; and several animals were slain in the amphitheatre, which had been seen only in the representations of art, or perhaps of fancy. In all these exhibitions, the securest precautions were used to protect the person of the Roman Hercules from the desperate spring of any savage, who might possibly disregard the dignity of the emperor and the sanctity of the nicolas cage.

Edward Gibbon. History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1, Chapter 4, Part II.

And here's that "Duck Amuck" video Jon was talking about:

Today's strip

Jaksot(2526)

Episode 324 - Tuesday, May 8, 1979

Episode 324 - Tuesday, May 8, 1979

Not only that. On the foundation of the Greek point of departure for the interpretation of being a dogma has taken shape which not only declares that the question of the meaning of being is superfluous but sanctions its neglect. It is said that "being" is the most universal and the emptiest concept. As such it resists every attempt at definition. Nor does this most universal and thus indefinable concept need any definition. Everybody uses it constantly and also already understands what is meant by it. Thus what troubled ancient philosophizing and kept it so by virtue of its obscurity has become obvious, clear as day, such that whoever persists in asking about it is accused of an error of method.Martin Heidegger, "The Necessity, Structure, and Priority of the Question of Being," from Being and Time, 1927. Trans. Joan Stambaugh.Today's strip

18 Heinä 201718min

Episode 323 - Monday, May 7, 1979

Episode 323 - Monday, May 7, 1979

This question has today been forgotten--although out time considers itself progressive in again affirming "metaphysics." All the same we believe that we are spared the exertion of rekindling a gigantomachia peri tes ousias [Plato, Sophist 245e6-246e1]. But the question touched upon here is hardly an arbitrary one. It sustained the avid research of Plato and Aristotle but from then on ceased to be heard as a thematic question of actual investigation. What these two thinkers achieved has been preserved in various distorted and "camouflaged" forms down to Hegel's Logic. And what then was wrested from phenomena by the highest exertion of thought, albeit in fragments and first beginnings, has long since been trivialized.Martin Heidegger, "The Necessity, Structure, and Priority of the Question of Being," from Being and Time, 1927. Trans. Joan Stambaugh.Today's strip

17 Heinä 201712min

Episode 322 - Sunday, May 6, 1979

Episode 322 - Sunday, May 6, 1979

Today we bid a fond adieu to delightful guest host and terribly pretentious person Nathaniel Bozarth. It's a sad day for us here at Being Jim Davis, but of course it's also a sad day for America. Anyone who hasn't already subscribed to Wide Rule ought to head on over to the internet and do so.At one point in this episode Nathaniel references a bit by Jimmy Fallon and then calls someone 'a fucking ass.' before asking if we 'bleep that out.' I just want everyone to know that I strongly considered bleeping out 'Jimmy Fallon' instead as a joke, but I ultimately decided I just didn't care enough. That's Sunday for you.OMG Wide Ruled is also on Soundcloud!Today' strip

16 Heinä 201720min

Episode 321 - Saturday, May 5, 1979

Episode 321 - Saturday, May 5, 1979

Look, Garfield is a high-quality person, ok? Somebody leaves some vegetables lying around, he can't help that someone did that. He's obviously going to go and commit unspeakable acts with them, I mean that's a given. I think many people would have taken those vegetables.Today's strip

15 Heinä 201731min

Episode 320 - Friday, May 4, 1979

Episode 320 - Friday, May 4, 1979

I want to make one thing absolutely clear: No one from the Garfield campaign had ANY contact with the roast turkey at any point. Ok, sure he did have numerous meetings with it, but at no time did the subject of Garfield eating the turkey come up. I mean, it was the main focus of the meeting, and of course Garfield did in fact end up eating the turkey, but obviously that doesn't mean he did anything wrong, and definitely nothing illegal, even though it was totally sketchy. Whatever, everyone eats turkey. You're eating turkey right now; go fuck yourself.Today's episode of Being Jim Davis is sponsored by this guy.Hey, don't forget you can check out Nathaniel Bozarth's excellent podcast Wide Ruled by going here, or I guess also by just looking it up. Come on, you know how to do this.Today's strip

14 Heinä 201722min

Episode 319 - Thursday, May 3, 1979

Episode 319 - Thursday, May 3, 1979

Here are some videos I found when I looked up "beat poetry" on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVwjhanydNE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sbXP5My7TwToday's strip

13 Heinä 201717min

Episode 318 - Wednesday, May 2, 1979

Episode 318 - Wednesday, May 2, 1979

What horrible pun did I cut out at the very beginning of today's episode? Obviously you'll have to support us on Patreon to ever know for sure, though I will tell you:1. It was based on the the word 'copita', and2. it was NOT 'copacetic.'Today's strip

12 Heinä 201718min

Episode 317 - Tuesday, May 1, 1979

Episode 317 - Tuesday, May 1, 1979

Hey! Did you know special guest host Nathaniel Bozarth (@BoNathaniel) also has a podcast?? "Get RIGHT OUTTA TOWN!!!!", you say? No, I will not. Anyway, maybe check it out cause it might be really good. It is entirely possible, in fact, that it's the best podcast ever. At least from a logical standpoint. In fact, it's 100% consistent with how logical meaning is constructed that it could even be the best of ALL POSSIBLE PODCASTS. You judge though; I've not listened to it yet. But oh yeah, here it is.Today's stripSoundtrack to today's strip

11 Heinä 201723min

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