Last night Ickie read me a lovely quote from the book he is currently reading, Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson. I'm planning to read it as soon as he's done with it. Ickie explained that Octavian is a slave who lives with a lot of freaky philosophers and has been forbidden to read anything apart from obscure, practically meaningless fragments in Greek and Latin. Imagine the horror!
"I missed my studies with Dr. Trefusis inveterately; for reading, once begun, quickly becomes home and circle and court and family; and indeed, without narrative, I felt exiled from my own country. By the transport of book, that which is most foreign becomes one's familiar walks and avenues; while that which is most familiar is removed to delightful strangeness; and unmoving, one travels infinite causeways; immobile and thus unfettered."
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2 comments:
In defense of philosophers, I should point out that the people Octavian is living with are NATURAL philosophers--i.e., scientists.
So far, the book has been quite good. It's beautifully written.
I guess that makes you and UNNATURAL philosopher.
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