Wordsmith Talk |
About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
Register Log In Wordsmith.org Forums General Topics Q&A about words Sheer irresponsibility
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
OP From the Dryden translation of Plutarch's life of Pompey Magnus:
Gabinius, one of Pompey's friends, preferred a law, whereby there was granted to him, not only the government of the seas as admiral, but in direct words, sole and irresponsible sovereignty over all men. For the decree gave him absolute power and authority in all the seas within the pillars of Hercules, and in the adjacent mainland for the space of four hundred furlongs from the sea.
http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/bl_text_plutarch_pompey.htm
From context it is obvious that irresponsible meant something different in Dryden's day -- the idea being that Pompey was not responsible to anyone, he didn't have to report back to a boss. The question is, how would you express that concept in a single word these days now that irresponsible has taken on a different meaning?
Bingley
Bingley
Moderated by Jackie
Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics Forums16Topics13,913Posts229,580Members9,187 Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now 0 members (), 332 guests, and 0 robots. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days) A C Bowden 23
Top Posters wwh 13,858Faldage 13,803Jackie 11,613wofahulicodoc 10,713tsuwm 10,542LukeJavan8 9,931Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210AnnaStrophic 6,511Wordwind 6,296of troy 5,400
Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith.org