μεν...δε

Hokay...so. Here's the earth.

No not really. I'm at school, realizing once again just how much reading of Greek and English I have to do in the next week, and somehow thinking that it's more important that I share this joke with the world at large...or at least the minuscule portion of it that might read this blog. Ready? Okay.

During his coursework in grad school, a classicist became increasingly interested in the Greek men...de construction, which is used to balance or contrast two ideas. (It is often translated as on the one hand...on the other hand..., but it's much more elegant in Greek.) So this guy decided to write his dissertation on the men...de construction, and in so doing focused more and more on the de part of things. He got his PhD, published several articles and a book on de, got a job in a very well respected classics department, and was known throughout the world as the preeminent de scholar. Shortly after he was hired, he met a beautiful, intelligent young woman, and fell instantly in love. Unfortunately, she was the daughter of his department chair. Unable to put aside his feelings, he approached the chair and confessed that he had fallen in love with her daughter. The chair was fond of the young man, said that she didn't see a problem, and would talk to her daughter about it. She spoke with her daughter that night, reminded her of the young man, and his fame as a scholar of de. Her daughter, who had also been interested in the young man but was too shy to approach him, responded, "This is wonderful! After all, I know a lot about men."

And...back to work.