The phrase "the lion's share" comes from (like many other proverbial phrases) a tale by Aesop. Specifically the one about the hunt run by the lion, the donkey and the fox. After it was concluded, the lion asked the donkey to divide the spoils in a fair way, so the donkey gave each one third. This resulted in the lion killing it. Then the lion asked the fox to divide the spoils, and she gave everything to the lion, apart from a hen.
Random Thoughts XIII - Radioenergopithecocracy
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Interesting. I hadn't heard of that fable. Smart fox.
The fox discussing with the lion in another Aesop story also gives the proverb: "one, but a lion". The fox was saying that she has many children, so the lion responded that he may have just one, but it's a lion
The earliest written (Phaedrus version) of collected Aesop's fables appear in the 4th C BCE and the Lion's Share was included. In it a cow a goat and a sheep go hunting together with a lion. 500 or so years later in the extended Greek telling of Babrius it is a lion and a wild donkey who go hunting together. By the time the Middle Ages rolls around new versions appear: A fox joins the lion and donkey in hunting in one of them. There are other versions to that include a wolf.
In most of these and the other versions that derive from them later, the moral is the same.
Rumi (Persian poet) even produced a Sufi version. In Rumi's telling, the lion had a wolf and a fox as hunting companions. The lion ordered the wolf to divide the catch and when it did so into three parts, tore off the wolf’s head, just as the lion tore the donkey to pieces in Aesop’s fable. Rumi's specialty, however, is always to offer an explanation of his actors' motives. In this case the lion explains that it is an act of grace for him to do so since the wolf did not recognise superiority when he saw it.
When the fox was tested in the same way, he did not even retain a morsel for himself, explaining (as in the Greek version) that he had learned wisdom from the wolf's fate and thanking the lion for giving him the privilege of going second. This allows Rumi to conclude that we are lucky to be living now, with the examples of past generations to guide us. Rumi’s fox then worships at the feet of the lion, addressing him with the words "O king of the world" and is duly rewarded for this devotion with everything that he had resigned to the divine king.
en.wikipedia.org
In most of these and the other versions that derive from them later, the moral is the same.
Rumi (Persian poet) even produced a Sufi version. In Rumi's telling, the lion had a wolf and a fox as hunting companions. The lion ordered the wolf to divide the catch and when it did so into three parts, tore off the wolf’s head, just as the lion tore the donkey to pieces in Aesop’s fable. Rumi's specialty, however, is always to offer an explanation of his actors' motives. In this case the lion explains that it is an act of grace for him to do so since the wolf did not recognise superiority when he saw it.
When the fox was tested in the same way, he did not even retain a morsel for himself, explaining (as in the Greek version) that he had learned wisdom from the wolf's fate and thanking the lion for giving him the privilege of going second. This allows Rumi to conclude that we are lucky to be living now, with the examples of past generations to guide us. Rumi’s fox then worships at the feet of the lion, addressing him with the words "O king of the world" and is duly rewarded for this devotion with everything that he had resigned to the divine king.
Lion's share - Wikipedia
Narz
keeping it real
I'm 43 and I didn't know 2001 was originally a book.
I'll have to put that on my own list.
I don't see what's bad (clowny?) about not having the time to read certain books especially if you announce you plan to read them.
I'll have to put that on my own list.
I don't see what's bad (clowny?) about not having the time to read certain books especially if you announce you plan to read them.
He is presenting himself as an intellectual and has a show where various intelligent people are invited. So it surprises me he hasn't read any of that - is all
It's also a bit bizarre to claim he will read The Brothers Karamazov (a multi volume novel) in a week. Even if he would, there'd be little point in doing so. Iirc I read it in 2 weeks, but back when I was 17...
tjs282
Stone \ Cold / Fish
It wasn't. The book is Clarke's novelization of his film script, and was published shortly after the movie came out.
I don't see him writing that he hasn't read these books before, just that he's going to read them this year. I read a lot of them as a teenager, but I expect my experience would be very different now than it was 40 years ago if I were to reread them. I wouldn't read any of them again by choice, though.
Be sure to read 1 per week
Gori the Grey
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His "low-key videos" will give a sense of whether he is reading some of these books for the first time or not.
As has been observed, he won't make it through Brothers Karamazov in a week. (Though Little Prince was maybe chosen to give him extra time in the week prior). Probably true of Dune as well.
Perfectly fine New Year's resolution, I guess.
As has been observed, he won't make it through Brothers Karamazov in a week. (Though Little Prince was maybe chosen to give him extra time in the week prior). Probably true of Dune as well.
Perfectly fine New Year's resolution, I guess.
Actually, it's based on a short story called "The Sentinel."
2001 is the book on that list that I read first. I was 12, and had just discovered this whole concept of science fiction being Good Stuff, after getting hooked on Star Trek. The school library had a surprisingly good selection of science fiction, including 2001: A Space Odyssey.
I borrowed the book on a Friday, not having checked the coming week's TV listings. It was sheer coincidence that the movie was going to be on Sunday night.
So I read the book, fell instantly in love with "The Blue Danube"*, and it's a good thing I'd read the book. My dad watched the movie with me and didn't have a clue what was going on.
Actually, that's a movie that needs more than one viewing to figure it out. It's been decades since I read anything by Clarke.
*A couple of years later I ended up spending part of my Christmas money on a record - one side was Star Wars and the other was classical music used in space/SF movies. As it turns out, the cat I had at that time - a Siamese named Cassandra - liked Strauss music. She'd come to my room and listen to it when I played it during my DoodleArt coloring sessions (I had a whole stack of favorite records I'd play while coloring).
tjs282
Stone \ Cold / Fish
Among others...
He apparently (Wiki sez) wrote another called "Encounter at the Dawn", in which an advanced race of humanoids from a dying civilization provide technological inspiration to a primitive race of hunter-gatherers, essentially teaching them to "Bang the rocks together, guys!"*
For 2001, he just had the Earth-Monolith do the uplift telepathically, and starting with apes.
*That quote's from THHGTTG, though!
I am beginning to see how this twitter person continues to maintain a facade of intellectualism
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