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Sunday 7 September 2014

An obligation

From Wikipedia

Then, again, who does not see how empty, how foolish, is the fame of noble birth? Why, if the nobility is based on renown, the renown is another's! For, truly, nobility seems to be a sort of reputation coming from the merits of ancestors.

But if it is the praise which brings renown, of necessity it is they who are praised that are famous. Wherefore, the fame of another clothes thee not with splendour if thou hast none of thine own. So, if there is any excellence in nobility of birth, methinks it is this alone—that it would seem to impose upon the nobly born the obligation not to degenerate from the virtue of their ancestors.

Boethius - The Consolation of Philosophy (around 524 AD)

5 comments:

Sackerson said...

Spot on _ don't let the family down. Northcote Parkinson made the same point re Navy officer selection in the old days.

Scrobs. said...

No, I don't want him crowned either.

He was about OK when he was just a sprog in the fifties, but since then, he's not really cut any mustard, and became a silly Royal icon from then on.

I rather liked Diana, she was let down so badly.

Demetrius said...

My claim to the throne is better than his. The only problem is the million or two plus others with better claims that stand in the way.

Anonymous said...

Nice suit.

A K Haart said...

Sackers - I suspect he will let them down. To a degree he has already.

Michael - I was never keen on Diana, although she seemed to bring out the cracks in Charles' makeup.

Demetrius - your time may yet come Sire.

Roger - yes, in spite of the substandard manikin.