You cannot be truly free with your opinion if you have a specialty.

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My best gift in years I got from Belles Lettres- a BIG event: Erasmus’ lecture notes & collection of aphorisms/proverbs from classical litterature. The distillation of knowledge and wisdom by one of the three most learned men in history. Dwarfs much of the bookstore shelves…

http://www.lesbelleslettres.com/livre/?GCOI=22510100184530

Les Adages

www.lesbelleslettres.com

Les Adages. Une première mondiale, l’édition bilingue de ce recueil d’expressions et de proverbes latins puisés chez les Anciens par celui que l’on nomma le « Prince des humanistes »

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Friendship is fragile; kinship is robust; attraction is antifragile

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Friends, there is a Levantine expression Mi7in محن diacritical sukun or weak kasra over the 7 ح not to be confused with the Arabic Mi7an محن with a diacritical kasra under the mim and fat7a over the 7. I know no equivalent in English or French. It seems to include “affected”, “with attitude”, “folly with awarenes”, but imply a more existential aggressive, “in your face” controlled type of folly. Any idea on how to translate?For instance, when someone asks you why you are wearing dark glasses at night, you might answer “Mi7in”

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