WotD:Obmutescence

Johannes Patruus

unread,

Apr 25, 2012, 6:23:59 AM4/25/12

to

http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry:showfullentry/true?t:ac=Entry/129772

Patruus

Ed Cryer

unread,

Apr 25, 2012, 8:13:17 AM4/25/12

to

Johannes Patruus wrote:
>
> http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry:showfullentry/true?t:ac=Entry/129772
>
> Patruus

"A vehement fear which naturally produceth obmutescence".
(1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica iii. viii. 122)

Vehemens metus qui statum obmutescendi [obmutescentiam] per se et ipsa
natura concitat.

Sic saltem, credo, Cicero istam sententiam Latine reddidisset. Non autem
neque minime credidisset! Ipse enim ad tantam loquacitatem quanta alios
tamquam obstupefaceret metu concitabatur.

Edus

Johannes Patruus

unread,

Apr 25, 2012, 9:01:32 AM4/25/12

to

cf. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/pseudodoxia/pseudo38.html
(the OED quote is in the third para.)

> Edus

Patruus

Ed Cryer

unread,

Apr 25, 2012, 10:27:19 AM4/25/12

to

Yes. I find that kind of thing particularly noticeable in cats. When
they suddenly observe a predator ahead (or even prey such as birds) they
freeze; go into slow motion; and then either explode into an energy of
running away, or gradually slip slowly into slink mode, making
themselves as small as possible, belly to the ground, and ready to leap
forward. Cats have a superb body-control system that is a delight to
observe.
Humans have similar autonomic behaviour; especially when danger suddenly
arises. The chemical changes in the central nervous system have evolved;
no doubt because they saved many lives in past ancestors.

But individual humans have different ways of coping with similar social
situations; and these are no doubt conditioned in their individual
pasts. I tend to be like Cicero, no doubt because of a higher degree of
education than most and because using language and reason have succeeded
for me in my past.

I grant that we all have (well, perhaps with a few exceptions of genetic
failing) the autonomic reactions, but when we recover from those we fall
into different handling techniques.

Ed

Johannes Patruus

unread,

Apr 25, 2012, 10:56:04 AM4/25/12

to

I once witnessed a face-off between a cat and a rat where it was hard to
know which was the more frit!

> But individual humans have different ways of coping with similar social
> situations; and these are no doubt conditioned in their individual pasts.

> I tend to be like Cicero, no doubt because of a higher degree of education
> than most and because using language and reason have succeeded for me in
> my past.

Cave igitur ne in idem quod ille periculum ac perniciem praeceps incurras!

> I grant that we all have (well, perhaps with a few exceptions of genetic
> failing) the autonomic reactions, but when we recover from those we fall
> into different handling techniques.
>
> Ed

Patruus

Ed Cryer

unread,

Apr 25, 2012, 11:20:23 AM4/25/12

to

Non iam tanta uni homini datur potestas quanta olim Marco Antonio (et
Octaviano Caesari cum Marco Aemilio Lepido) data est. Datur equidem?
Forsan melius dictum sit surrepta. His nostris diebus sermo et ratio
victoriam ferunt.

Edus