The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-02-27
THE ORIGIN OF CLASSICAL
PHRASES.

PHRASES.
TO PASS THE RUBiooN
Is a phrase which means to engage IN
am enterprise with an irrevocable decis-
ion. The Rubieon was little river
which separated the Roman empire
from GauI. The expression has refer
ence to Caesar, who crossed this boun-
Diary line and marched against the Ro-
man Senate, after that body had order
ed him to disband his army, which he
had In Gaul. On arriving at the famous
stream, Caesar hesitated, being impress
ed with the awful consequences that
would follow, and said to one of his
Generals, eff I pass this river what
miseries shall bring on my country, if
I do not I am. undone Soon after he
exclaimed, '.The die is cast, and rush
ed across the Rubicon.
sUB-RosA.
Under the rose. What is said or done
privately and secretly among confden-
tial friends. The origin of this term is
said to be the following Cupid it is
said, gave a rose to Hippocrates, the
God of Silence, and from this legend
arose the practice of suspending a rose
from the ceiling over the table while
eating, when it was intended that the
conversation must be kept secret. This
custom gave rise to the phrase sltb-rosa.
ULTIMA THULE,
Means g the utmost extent" Literally
the extremity of the earth 3 Ultima
Thule" was the most remote island in
the Northern parts known to the Ro-
mans.
RARA AVIS,
Ca rare bird, is a term used by Juvenal
to signify prodigy or something Won
derful. To say of a man that he is a
rara yaUis, means that he is singular,
eccentric, sc.
BRUTUM FULAIEN,
Empty thunder. When any one deliv-
ers a speech full of sound and fury, hav-
ing nothing IN it, it is called Brutum
Fuimen. A boastful threat, or an obso-
lete law which no one respects, is also
called Brutum Fulmen.
PUNCA FIDEs,
Punie faith This phase was used by
the Romans to denote the treachery of
the Punics, or Carthagenians It now
means bad faith in a national sense.
RECrUs IN oURlA,
Upright in the Courts. When any one
came into the courts of justice with
clean hands, he was said to be "rectus
in curia
Ps AND Q's.
The origin of the phrase, Mind your
P's Q's,' is not generally known. In
ale houses where chalk scores were for
merly marked upon the wall, it was Gus
tomary to put these initial letters at the
head of every mans account, to show
the number of pints and quarts for
which he owed ; and when one was IN
dulging too freely in drink, "a friend
would touch him on the shoulder, and
point to the score on the wall, saying:
"John, mind your P's and Q's." That
is, notice the pints and quarts now
charged against you and cease drinking.
NovUs HOMO.
a new man. A man who arises to
distinction without family aid by his
own efforts. Cicero uses RoUj homines,
the plural of the above, to signify, the
first nobleman of their families. A man
springing out of an obscure family and
becoming famous, would be called by
the Romans nOUus homo. The nor
1o,,ai,eee of America are quitenumerous
LABOR oAINIA vINCIT.
Labor conquers all things. Their,
are few difficulties which will not yield
TO persevering labor. Continuous toi
eurmounts every difficulty 1t makes
the wilderness of nature blossom as the
rose.
HURRAH-
The origin of this Slavonian word, useI
from the coast of Dalmatia to Behring'
Straits, belongs to the primitive idea
that every man dying heroieally for hi
country, goes straight to Heaven. TT
derived from Hu-raj, which mean
Heaven. Hltrah, ]. e., q to Paradise
yoa VIII go, If You night bravery.
the shock of battle, the Turks or
+" Allah, F" which has a similar meaning
Hurrah has degenerated to mean n
+ more in common use than to hurry, o
an exclamation of JOY or triumph.
EsPBIT DE CORPS.
e The spirit Of the body, is Frenc
term meaning that broaheriy feeling
which pervades professional bodies
such as the gentleman of the bar, sol
diers of an army. clergymen, &c.
SIn DRsPERAEDUM.
, . Let us despair OF nothing, is an e.
preston found IN the book Of Horae'
and often used as a ma ter of heroic d'
, termination
Nerer gire ~, s1oush this Erspesliat may rsstt
or the run fhsI1laer-cIoud oyer you burst:
sand llse q roek-ana she stoEln or tze battls
Little shaH harm you, though dosng the worst.
Nerer giUe ~, q aagerss:y presses,
Proyidenee vlsas ilas rainslei ths cur,
And the best counsel in al your ,iissressea
i j. the stout watchword--aerer gfre ~.
q CANT
> Originally the name Of an excenu
( preacher IN Scotland, who contract'
the habit Of preaching in such s VIII