Sunday, October 02, 2005

"...a creature of great personal valour"

For the Mouse (Mus) prevails in the Latin.
For Edi-mus, bibi-mus, vivi-mus -- ore-mus.
For the Mouse is a creature of great personal valour.
For -- this is a true case --
Cat takes female mouse from the company of male --
male mouse will not depart,
but stands threatening and daring.
For this is as much as to challenge,
if you will let her go, I will engage you*,
as prodigious a creature as you are.
For the Mouse is of an hospitable disposition.

--- Christopher Smart, from Jubilate Agno

* I can vouch for this personally having observed mice standing up to my cat when he hunted, several times. This, I must make clear, was years ago, I was a child, and my cat lived in a rural setting. This was just how it was. He and I were friends, and I tagged along sometimes when he hunted. I did not interfere...

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