Why, Sillybillies? Why?

[dwaxe]

http://books.google.com/books?id=t4LZ83FwZf8C&pg=PA11&lpg=PA11&dq=sillybilly+plato&source=bl&ots=Vr2b7v0OVe&sig=vBje3-MObBKPnoD_nsotWGfbuqI&hl=en&ei=OZshTJaqNJChnQeO7Mh0&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBQQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

I noticed this odd insult in Plato's "Republic".

What other odd, utterly outdated offensive terms do you know of? Please make sure they have diluted into light insults or this thread might close .

 

[Murky]

I wonder if this was a precursor to Hillbillies.

 

[Traitorfish]

"Silly billies" is a pretty ordinary British term, albeit somewhat infantile and more than a little twee. It strikes me as an example of inappropriate tone in translation more than anything else. It's certainly not a Greek term- it originated in the late 18th century as a nickname for Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester, who was infamous for his eccentricity. It was never particularly offensive, either- it seems to have caught on as a euphemism for something more profane, such as "silly buggers".

 

[Lockesdonkey]

That definitely isn't in the translation I have (Allan Bloom's).

 

[Valka D'Ur]

There is an episode of "Keeping Up Appearances" where Hyacinth calls somebody a "silly billy" (however it's spelled). Considering that Hyacinth would NEVER use foul language, I assumed it was a term that implied light teasing.

Sort of like how we use .

 

[Thoughtful Thug]

Your version

He roared out to his own company: What folly, Socrates, has taken possession of you all? And why, sillybillies, do you knock under to one another?

This is from a translation by an unknown author by the name of rev. C.D.C Reeves

Polemarchus and I were frightened and flustered as he roared into our midst: What nonsense have you two been talking, Socrates? Why do you act like idiots by giving way to one another?

I have many more English translation of Plato's Republic as well as having two German version of Plato's Republic by two different translators. The two German books by the two different authors are not the same translations too.

As you can see, translators can vary in their translations.

That is why I don't buy that it is true that in the Talmud, King Ptolemy successfully achieved in getting the same results from 72 translators in 72 different rooms.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

That is supposed to be a miracle through which God was saying it is ok to use the Septuagint instead of relying on the Hebrew text.

 

[Thoughtful Thug]

That is supposed to be a miracle through which God was saying it is ok to use the Septuagint instead of relying on the Hebrew text.

No. It was an event that was considered a miracle when 72 translators, in their separate rooms, all translated the Torah into Greek exactly the same. If you believe in that. Then you are likely a person who really believe in miracles. I think it is impossible.

 

[Brighteye]

"Silly billies" is a pretty ordinary British term, albeit somewhat infantile

What he said. I remember it being used a fair amount when I was a child.

 

[Furiey]

So do I. I got called it a lot with my surname. Also got called billy goat, billingsgate etc. Kids are so unimaginative

 

[Abaddon]

Twonk, Wassock, Prat, Tool, Willie, Numpty, Smeghead, fanny, doughnut, wally...

 

[Furiey]

It was primary school when I was called silly billy!