tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21165575.post114901345796233630..comments2024-03-10T20:46:19.274-04:00Comments on In the Middle: Eloquent silenceCord J. Whitakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06224143153295429986noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21165575.post-1149125596615338172006-05-31T21:33:00.000-04:002006-05-31T21:33:00.000-04:00Which reminds me of my favorite disputation joke. ...Which reminds me of my favorite disputation joke. <BR/><BR/>Several centuries ago, the Pope decreed he would have a religious debate with a leader of the Jewish community. If the Jewish leader won the debate, the Jews would be permitted to stay. If the Pope won, the Jews would have to leave.<BR/><BR/>The Jewish leader, Rabbi Moishe, could not speak Latin and the Pope could not speak Yiddish. So it was decided that this would be a "silent" debate.<BR/><BR/>On the day of the great debate, the Pope and Rabbi Moishe sat opposite each other for a full minute before the Pope raised his hand and showed three fingers.<BR/><BR/>Rabbi Moishe looked back and raised one finger.<BR/><BR/>Next, the Pope waved his finger around his head.<BR/><BR/>Rabbi Moishe pointed to the ground where he sat.<BR/><BR/>The Pope then brought out a communion wafer and chalice of wine.<BR/><BR/>Rabbi Moishe pulled out an apple.<BR/><BR/>With that, the Pope stood up and said, "I publicly confess that I have nothing more to say. The Jews can stay."<BR/><BR/>Later, the Cardinals gathered around the Pope, asking him what had happened.<BR/><BR/>The Pope said, "First I held up three fingers to represent the Trinity. He responded by holding up one finger to remind me that there was still one God common to both our religions. Then I waved my finger around me to show him that God was all around us. He responded by pointing to the ground to show that God was also right here with us. I pulled out the wine and the wafer to show that God absolves us of our sins. He pulled out an apple to remind me of original sin. He had an answer for everything. What could I do?"<BR/><BR/>Meanwhile, the Jewish community crowded around Rabbi Moishe, asking what happened.<BR/><BR/>"Well," said Moishe, "first he said to me, 'You Jews have three days to get out of here.'<BR/><BR/>So I wagged my finger to say no way we are leaving. Then he tells me the whole city would be cleared of Jews.<BR/><BR/>So I pointed to this spot to say we're staying right here<BR/><BR/>"And then?" asked a woman. <BR/><BR/>"Who knows?" said Rabbi Moishe. "He took out his lunch and I took out mine."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21165575.post-1149076104567631132006-05-31T07:48:00.000-04:002006-05-31T07:48:00.000-04:00Thanks, bro. I knew you'd appreciate the Cicero qu...Thanks, bro. I knew you'd appreciate the Cicero quote, since it was drummed into our heads in Latin class.Jeffrey Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17346504393740520542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21165575.post-1149052302107790832006-05-31T01:11:00.000-04:002006-05-31T01:11:00.000-04:00On the other hand, despite his rather catchy axiom...On the other hand, despite his rather catchy axiom, Cicero himself was rarely silent.<BR/><BR/>See also "A Man for all Seasons" for a similar take on "screaming silences." <BR/><BR/>However, I must ask, as a misanthrope, why should you care why these people are silent? It can obviously be ascribed to the irrational nature of man.<BR/><BR/>Hey, bro. Been a while since I have checked out your board. Can't believe you are passing yourself off as a misanthrope these days. Don't be fooled. He is definitely the self-important professor-types. ;0)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21165575.post-1149032100754621912006-05-30T19:35:00.000-04:002006-05-30T19:35:00.000-04:00Good point, and well put. I suppose the primary mo...Good point, and well put. <BR/><BR/>I suppose the primary model for Christian depictions of silent expressiveness would be Jesus, who refused to answer his interrogators. The York Cycle play “Christ before Herod” captures the maddening effect of this refusal of words well (see <A HREF="http://www.english.ufl.edu/exemplaria/Cohen2003/jjc.pdf" REL="nofollow">this </A>for a little bit on it).<BR/><BR/>A different kind of silence would be that of the previously loquacious Pardoner, in the shock that follows the Host's threat to cut his balls off. That seems to me a wordlessness that really does convey the impossibility of communication.Jeffrey Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17346504393740520542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21165575.post-1149017341690503462006-05-30T15:29:00.000-04:002006-05-30T15:29:00.000-04:00This is exactly how I have always read Griselda's ...This is exactly how I have always read Griselda's silence in Chaucer's "Clerk's Tale"--as a kind of silent accusation which is, at the same time, an absolute void of an interior self that could be capable of accusing. But still, by her silence, she does accuse, and she also judges.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com