The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-02-27
THE ORIGIN OF CLASSICAL
PHRASES.
TO PASS THE RUBlCON

Is phrase which means to engage III
an enterprise with an irrevocablc decis-
ion. The Rubicon was little river
which separated the Roman empire
from Gaul. The expression has refer
encc to Caesar, who crossed this boun-
darv 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 ] pass this river what
miseries / shall bring on my country, If
[ do not | am undone." D." Soon after he
exclaimed, "Thc die is cast, " and rush
ed across the Ruhicon,
sUB-RosA.
Under the rose. What is said or done
privately and secretly among contlden-
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 II 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 Sub-rosa.
ULTIMA THULE,
Means "the utmost extent Literally
the extremity of the earth. Ultima
Thule" was the most remote island in
the Northern parts known to the Ro-
mans
RARA AVIS,
(a rare bird, is term used by Juvcnal
to signify prodigy or something won
derful. To say Of Il man that he is
roro ovis, means that he is singular,
eccentric, &c.
BRUTUSl FULMEN,
Empty thunder. When any one deliv-
ers speech full Of sound and fury, hav-
ing nothing in it, it is called Brutum
Fulmen. A boastful threat, or an obso-
lete law which no one respects, IS also
called Brutum Fulmen.
PUNICA FIDES,
Punic faith. This phase was used by
the Romans to denote the treachery OF
the Punics, or Carthagenians. 1t now
means bad faith in II national sense.
RECTUs IN CURlA,
Upright in the Courts. When any one
came into the courts of justice with
clean hands, he was said to be "rectus
in curia."
P's 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
mcrly 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 Tor
which he owed and when one was i'll
dulging too freely in drink, 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.
60 new man." A man who arises to
distinction without family aid by his
own efforts. Cicero uses nOui hOn,'nes,
the plural OF the above, to signify, 1.-THE
first nobleman of their families. man
springing out of an obscure family and
becoming famous, would be called by
the Romans nOpus homo. The nom
bomines of America are quitenumerous.
LABOR OMNIA yINcIT.
"Labor conquers all things. There
arc few difficulties which will not yield
TO persevering labor Continuous toll
surmounts every difficulty. 1t makes
the wilderness of nature blossom as the
rose.
HURRAH.
The origin of this Slavonian word, used
from the coast of Dalmata to Behring's
Straits, belongs to the primitive idea,
that every man dying heroically for his
country, goes straight to Heaven. 1t is
derived from Hu-raj, which means
Heaven, Hurrah, i. e., "to Paradise