stars stand in their courses
Musashi
- The stars stood still in their courses. -
This is used as below.
And yet, this morning Miss Lemon had made three mistakes
in typing a perfectly simple letter, and moreover, had not even
noticed those mistakes. The stars stood still in their courses!
(p5)
Setting: She is Poirot's secretary, usually perfectionist.
But this morning, she's not like herself.
--
Musashi
Seeking is guided beforehand by what is
sought.
David C. Larkin
> Would you give me some help with getting the next phrase?
> - The stars stood still in their courses. -
>
> This is used as below.
>
> And yet, this morning Miss Lemon had made three mistakes
> in typing a perfectly simple letter, and moreover, had not even
> noticed those mistakes. The stars stood still in their courses!
It means that the unthinkable has happened, such as the stars failing to
move across the sky. Now put down the books and get out to enjoy the
cherry blossoms... it's the first Spring-like weather we've had.
Dave Larkin
a1a5...@bc.sympatico.ca
<caf4...@pop12.odn.ne.jp> wrote:
>Would you give me some help with getting the next phrase?
>- The stars stood still in their courses. -
>
>This is used as below.
>
>And yet, this morning Miss Lemon had made three mistakes
>in typing a perfectly simple letter, and moreover, had not even
>noticed those mistakes. The stars stood still in their courses!
>(p5)
>
>Setting: She is Poirot's secretary, usually perfectionist.
>But this morning, she's not like herself.
>--
>Musashi
>Seeking is guided beforehand by what is
>sought.
>
Well in this case thought was notably absent from the operation.
Each of the words is simple, used simply. Why are you confused?
The narrator is saying that an event of catastropic proportions
has occurred: but the mock-heroic has wryly entered the
description to play havoc with your understanding.
N.Mitchum
----
> Would you give me some help with getting the next phrase?
> - The stars stood still in their courses.
>
> in typing a perfectly simple letter, and moreover, had not even
> noticed those mistakes. The stars stood still in their courses!
At first I thought the words were Shakepeare's, but Bartlett tells
me they're a variation on something found in the Bible: "The
stars in their courses fought against Sisera."
The above sentence means that the stars stopped moving (they
"stood still"); this much you get from the first four words, the
final three being thrown in for poetic effect. Miss Lemon's
mistakes were so highly unusual that they caused even celestial
movements to cease.
----NM