Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando – an intellect to rival Ronnie's
Ronnie Pellegrini – he who matches his suit and tie to Miss Jason’s – is much given to decorating his Facebook wall with quotations pulled straight off the internet, without knowing what they mean or anything about the person who wrote them.
Our Jeffrey finds himself inclined to follow suit.
Rather than reading the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius in bed (does he know it’s a book?), and letting us know which passages have struck a chord, he’s gone to a quotes website and pulled this one off it for his horribly naff Facebook wall:
When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.
Marcus Aurelius
I have a tip for him: there are entire websites dedicated to quotes from Marcus Aurelius, for sub-literates who don’t have his work on their shelves.
Here’s a quick pick which Jeff might clamp to his fridge.
1. Remember this – that there is a proper dignity and proportion to be observed in the performance of every act of life.
2. By a tranquil mind, I mean nothing less than a mind well ordered.
3. Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self respect.
4. Very little is needed to make a happy life.
5. You will find rest from vain fancies if you perform every act in life as though it were your last.
But honestly, what more could we possibly expect from somebody who thinks that Marcus Aurelius was a character in Russell Crowe’s Gladiator, and illustrates his Facebook point, for his thoroughly chavtastic audience, with a still from that film.
Yonks ago I remarked in passing that our Jeff identifies with Russell Crowe in Gladiator and that he probably fantasises about leather girdles and heroism.
I might not have been far off the mark.
I’m going to do penance by leading the campaign to vote him out, forsi johrog mal-Labour u jsir PS taht il-ministru Marlene.
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“I’m going to do penance by leading the campaign to vote him out, forsi johrog mal-Labour u jsir PS taht il-ministru Marlene.”
Minn fommhok l’Alla!
‘I’m going to do penance by leading the campaign to vote him out, forsi johrog mal-Labour u jsir PS taht il-ministru Marlene.”
Min jaf xi jbahhar u jaghmel il-qrun wara din li ghedtlu.
Dear Daphne ‘I doubt whether the best men ever would devote themselves to politics’ so that is a consolation of the material of some politicians.
“I’m going to do penance by leading the campaign to vote him out, forsi johrog mal-Labour u jsir PS taht il-ministru Marlene.”
We’ll be right behind you. Gnite and gluck.
[Daphne – Yes, we’ll gang up and give him a resounding Gday.]
Gspeed and griddance.
At least he ‘arises’ in the morning. In a pup tent? Probably a very small one.
I am sorry to disappoint you but you are mistaken again. Repeat after me : Marcus Aurelius appears in the film Gadiator. The actor for this role was Richard Harris.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiator_(2000_film)
[Daphne – David, do you perhaps suffer from undiagnosed Asperger’s syndrome?
As a side note, Gladiator is not history. It contracts time and mixes events which, and historical figures who, were not contemporaneous. It is riddled with anachronisms. Marcus Aurelius does not appear in the film. Richard Harris does. I did not watch Gladiator for the Roman history (I read the real thing at university), but for Russell Crowe in a leather mini.]
I did not know you are expert in personality disorders. You therefore know what in denial means.
By the way, many films are not always historically accurate.
[Daphne – Oh good grief, I should have become a psychiatric nurse….
In denial of WHAT, David?]
You present symptoms, David and you get a diagnosis.
No charge.
Asperger’s syndrome is not a personality disorder.
I believe Asperger’s is now classified as an intellectual disability.
Russell Crowe is the only man who can manage to look macho and ooze sex appeal whilst wearing a skirt.
[Daphne – COULD. He’s a bit over the hill now. Nobody’s going to be paying any time soon to take a look at him twirling with a sword.]
Jeez, Daphne, if he’s over the hill. I’m in the valley over the other side, floating down the river, waiting for the waterfall.
Although I’ve been told that I still look not too bad in a kilt, ‘twirling’ the sword dance at the Edinburgh Festival. Only been allowed into the Fringe, though.
As JPO said, “Are you not entertained?”
When I saw Russell Crowe nine years after he made Gladiator, he was overweight, shabbily-dressed and could walk through the street ALMOST unrecognised – but was still better-looking than most, all the same.
Overweight and shabbily-dressed? Why, he would be unrecognisable in Republic Street.
The only connection with the Marcus Aurelius quote and that pic that I can think of is that the character opposite Maximus (played by Russel Crowe) is Marcus Aurelius (played by Richard Harris).
Now, is the Honorable JPO identifying with Russell the Hunk or with the well-past-his-best-by-date Harris?
I think JPO should consider this quote instead …
“Il ciasso non fa bene, e il bene non fa ciass”.
JPO identifies with his mirror.
A classic case of narcissism.
Jikkwota lil xi hadd bhal Marcus Aurelius u jgib still ta’ Richard Harris fuq il-Facebook tat-teens. Il-allec kemm hu idjota.
Daphne,
Always entertaining but please; the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius are hardly anyone’s bread and butter, Gladiator is.
Whatever his ills (and they are myriad) JPO remains a shrewd populist.
And if crassness be the new Labour then you should see the likes of David Agius and so many others hobble to the other side; there’d be so much for you to write about – alas they bide their time.
[Daphne – Ah, that’s the mistake populists make: to treat everybody as though they were thick. Mintoff was excellent at it. If it really were essential to speak to people as though they are stupid and ill-informed so as to reach a wide audience, this website wouldn’t be so popular.]