The Romans, above all else in a person, admired pietas:
The love of your family, the love of your gods, the love of your country. The archetypal example of this is -
- Excuse me, I have to turn off the bath -
Virgil's Aeneas, the hero leaving Troy
Ascanium Anchisenque patrem Teucrosque penatis
commendo sociis et curva valle recondo
Has in his hands his father and his son and his household gods.
I have for-ever been the best of daughters
A comfort to my family, in their times of itch
And from nothing I have created my own implacable faith.
Rule Britannia - yes I believe
And yet:
I know no English word that strikes the silver-fine balance between
Love and responsibility.
Hello
Sorry to hijack your comments box but I'm back on air (at the same address (i.e., my nickanme plus .co.uk)
Posted by: looby | 16 June 2010 at 16:37