7.12.2003
Mixed messages
[Posted 8:13 PM by James Panero]
Here are two reader responses to Armavirumque.
Jim Zerkel writes in from Atlanta, GA:
Just discovered your website. Love the Armavirumque name. Opening line of
Virgil’s Aeneid that I had to memorize in high school
too many years ago to count- back in the days when they actually educated
you in high school. Excellent website. It’s bookmarked!
Thanks! On the subject of this weblog’s title, John Derbyshire recently cornered me at a party and asked, “Why Virgil, James?” Well, one thought was that since The New Criterion covers both politics and culture–in a one-of-a-kind way, I like to think–then this combination might be reflected in the “arms” and a “man” of which Virgil sings (By the way, *very* clever readers may have noticed that the name of our archive page is “cano,” Aeneid word number three. And why not?).
Here is the second letter, this one from “Bill” in Los Angeles:
jesus the guy that wrote the article about the bbc is really fucked-up they just won 1st place with their website again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!take a look its a great svc and so is it tv news!!!!!!!!!! who the fuck cares what those spies did 50 years ago, its only a tv show!!
Thanks, Bill. Keep those letters coming, everyone. And if anyone has a clue what Bill is talking about, we’d be happy to hear your thoughts.