Episode 266 - Sunday, March 11, 1979
Being Jim Davis21 Mai 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

Episoder(2526)

Episode 292 - Friday, April 6, 1979

Episode 292 - Friday, April 6, 1979

We kick off today's episode with some wild and baseless speculation about how eighteenth century British philosopher David Hume would have regarded the difference between Count Duckula and non-Count Quackula. It's pretty much downhill from there. Today's strip

16 Jun 201718min

Episode 291 - Thursday, April 5, 1979

Episode 291 - Thursday, April 5, 1979

Today's Garfield is another Jim Davis riff on Spring and Springtime. I guess I should probably embed a performance of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring or something like that. But instead, here's more Fats Waller. God, I love Fats Waller. People treat him like a novelty act, but he's just so fucking good. So so so so fucking good.Today's strip

15 Jun 201726min

Episode 290 - Wednesday, April 4, 1979

Episode 290 - Wednesday, April 4, 1979

Jon didn't want to talk with me about The Three-Body Problem, that Chinese Science Fiction novel everyone's talking about. I guess because he's an uncultured boob. You know who did read The Three-Body Problem? President Barack Obama, that's who! Maybe I should see if he wants to team up on a Hagar the Horrible podcast or something...Anyway, here's a better recording of Fats Waller's "Your Feet's Too Big," set to a cartoon for some reason.Today's strip

14 Jun 201720min

Episode 289 - Tuesday, April 3, 1979

Episode 289 - Tuesday, April 3, 1979

Well, look, I'm not going to embed photos from my feet-only Instagram account all week. And I'm certainly not going to sit here and write out a summary of what happens in today's episode. I mean, who even remembers?So here's a video of Fats Waller performing his classic song "Your Feet's Too Big." It is, honestly, not his best ever recording of this number, but it's a pretty entertaining clip nonetheless.Today's strip

13 Jun 201716min

Episode 288 - Monday, April 2, 1979

Episode 288 - Monday, April 2, 1979

So recently a lot of people have written in to say that they would really like to subscribe to my Instagram account where I only post pictures of my feet, but what with work and family all the recent surprising and dramatic political developments, they just haven't been able to find the time. Well, listeners, fear not! Here's a sampler: A post shared by Christopher Winter (@i.am.the.worst) on May 15, 2017 at 8:21pm PDT A post shared by Christopher Winter (@i.am.the.worst) on May 18, 2017 at 1:40pm PDT A post shared by Christopher Winter (@i.am.the.worst) on May 31, 2017 at 7:54pm PDT Sun's out, toes out. A post shared by Christopher Winter (@i.am.the.worst) on Jun 9, 2017 at 5:12pm PDT Today's strip

12 Jun 201731min

Episode 287 - Sunday, April 1, 1979

Episode 287 - Sunday, April 1, 1979

Thank you for downloading Being Thomas Jefferson, the world's ONLY daily podcast dedicated to the Lazy Susan. On today's episode, we'll continue our analysis of the renaissance in LS style and design that occurred in the mid-1950s following technological innovations developed by engineer and soy-sauce magnate George Hall. Of particular interest in our discussion will be the ensuing impact on the San Fransisco-area Chinese restaurant industry.Then, we'll be airing part two of our exciting seven-part interview with Professor Mike Huggins from the University of Cumbria regarding the varied sociological implications of Lazy Susan integration with Scrabble and other board-based leisure activities both at home and abroad.Finally we'll wrap things up with yet another installment of our popular quiz segment "What Goes Around...?" where we each take turns trying to guess the specific model Lazy Susan the other is currently spinning based only on a series of yes or no questions.You won't want to miss this one; it's a real pivot point! Today's stripDoes the dog die?http://www.dictionary.com/browse/ptuiThe Jefferson Bible

11 Jun 201724min

Episode 286 - Saturday, March 31, 1979

Episode 286 - Saturday, March 31, 1979

Calmly we walk through this April’s day, Metropolitan poetry here and there, In the park sit pauper and rentier, The screaming children, the motor-car Fugitive about us, running away, Between the worker and the millionaire Number provides all distances, It is Nineteen Thirty-Seven now, Many great dears are taken away, What will become of you and me (This is the school in which we learn ...) Besides the photo and the memory? (... that time is the fire in which we burn.) (This is the school in which we learn ...) What is the self amid this blaze? What am I now that I was then Which I shall suffer and act again, The theodicy I wrote in my high school days Restored all life from infancy, The children shouting are bright as they run (This is the school in which they learn ...) Ravished entirely in their passing play! (... that time is the fire in which they burn.) Avid its rush, that reeling blaze! Where is my father and Eleanor? Not where are they now, dead seven years, But what they were then? No more? No more? From Nineteen-Fourteen to the present day, Bert Spira and Rhoda consume, consume Not where they are now (where are they now?) But what they were then, both beautiful; Each minute bursts in the burning room, The great globe reels in the solar fire, Spinning the trivial and unique away. (How all things flash! How all things flare!) What am I now that I was then? May memory restore again and again The smallest color of the smallest day: Garfield is the school in which we learn, Garfield is the fire in which we burn.Obligatory 80s music video Today's stripYup, we're still promoting this blog for some reason

10 Jun 20178min

Episode 285 - Friday, March 30, 1979

Episode 285 - Friday, March 30, 1979

Boy, you talk about a clever disguise; that isn't Jon Arbuckle after all. It's Connie Chung!Here's another Star Trek thing that exists for some reason. Today's stripDr. Sparkle's Day by Day blog

9 Jun 201717min

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