Re: USAGE: glittering gold (was: phat/vet/fat)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Christian Thalmann" <cinga@...>
To: <CONLANG@...>
Sent: Saturday, July 13, 2002 2:52 PM
Subject: Re: USAGE: glittering gold (was: phat/vet/fat)


> --- In conlang@y..., John Cowan <jcowan@R...> wrote:
>
>  > The poem says "All that is gold does not glitter" = "Not all gold
things
>  > glitter" = "Some things that are gold do not glitter" = "Some things
>  > are much better than they seem".
>
> Ah, that was in Aragorn's "fraternity handshake", right?
>
>
>  > Mark Twain's miner in _Roughing It_ tells us that *nothing* that
glitters
>  > is gold, at least in its natural state.
>
> Is that the origin of the phrase?  Does that mean the phrase was
> logically consistent in its original context and is now mis-used
> world-wide?  ;-)
>
> Though I find myself wondering about the truth in that statement...
> most metals only appear as oxides in nature, but gold as a "noble
> metal" is rather chemically inert...  "nuggets" are natural
> formations, right?

It's original Context was shakespeare, in the Merchant of Venice.  'All that
Glitters is not Gold' Act 2, Scene 7

"All that glitters is not gold;
Often have you heard that told:
Many a man his life hath sold
But my outside to behold:
Gilded tombs do worms enfold.
Had you been as wise as bold,
Young in limbs, in judgment old,
Your answer had not been inscroll'd:
Fare you well; your suit is cold.
Cold, indeed; and labour lost:
Then, farewell, heat, and welcome, frost!
Portia, adieu. I have too grieved a heart
To take a tedious leave: thus losers part"

Actually, come to think of it, it may be older- 'Often have you heard that
told'

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