Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Et tu, Hairë?

Some say that leaving one's mark on the world is highly desirable.
Well, does it get any more mark-ed than having people name themselves after you?
Not just name themselves after you, but shift the meaning of the nomenclature such as to represent a title of respect?
Not just a title of respect, but a full-blown superior and authoritative position?
What am I talking about? Caesar.

The name Caesar conjures up quite a bit along with it. But...truthfully, it's just a name. A familial cognomen. And yet, this name has been adopted by other guys in other countries hundreds of years later. For if you didn't already know, the words Kaiser and Czar are derived from Caesar. Imagine that. Somebody says, "Hey, I want to be the 'Caesar' of my country." The word for leader could have been used. Or law-giver. Or "top man." Or Big Cheese. Just about anything... but no, they wanted the name of a guy(s) in the past. Talk about flattery and admiration.

What makes it even more special is the origin of the word/name Caesar. According to Wikipedia, it's a kind of family nickname, passed down to the next generation. And it means: Hairy.

The Hairy of Russia?

Maybe it's just me, but I find it interesting, disturbing and pleasant all at once.
That's quite a mark.
(Not to mention pizza and gambling.)

*The pic used is Caesar from the French comics Asterix written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. I rather enjoy Asterix. :)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You missed an obvious joke there:

"Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Hair!"



Since after all, it was Caesar who said the line to Brutus.... ^_^