, im not Newton, im Pascal
Serendipitously*, I recently found the following:
http://la.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publius_Cornelius_Scipio_Nasica
Idem Scipio Nasica cum Ennio poëta vivebat coniunctissime. Cum ad
eum venisset, eique ab ostio quaerenti ancilla dixisset Ennium domi
non esse, Nasica sensit illam domini iussu dixisse, et illum intus
esse. Paucis post diebus cum ad Nasicam venisset Ennius, et eum ab
ianua quaereret, exclamavit ipse Nasica se domi non esse. Tum
Ennius: "Quid! ego non cognosco, inquit, vocem tuam?" Hic Nasica:
"Homo es impudens: ego cum te quaererem, ancillae tuae credidi te
domi non esse; tu non mihi credis ipsi."
Scipio Nasica lived near the poet Ennius. One day when Nasica went
to visit Ennius, Ennius' maid told Nasica that Ennius was not at
home, but Nasica was sure she had just been instructed to say so. So
a few days later, when Ennius came to visit Nasica, Nasica called
out: "He's not home". When Ennius asked, "Wait, what? Don't I
recognize your voice?", Nasica responded: "How shameless! I believed
your maid when she said you weren't home, but you don't even believe
me myself!"
-Dave
* I was trying to track down the source for a story that during peace
talks, the Romans multiplexed a single set of silverware among all
the hosts to the Carthiginian delegation. Any of you happen to know
from where I might have this anecdote?
