"Josephus spoke Greek and Latin and Aramaic and three other languages well, and several more passably. He knew his uncle outdid him there. For a merchant it was a valuable skill, even if you could get by in Latin and Greek in most of the Empire, in the cities and larger towns at least and as far as bargaining was concerned." (pp. 48-49)
Although I am not a merchant, I continually regret my incompetence in any language but English.
How many languages does Poul Anderson's interstellar merchant, Nicholas van Rijn, speak, whether well or badly? I think that we are told this in Satan's World. However, Sheila's and my adult granddaughter, Yossi, is currently staying in the room where the books are shelved so I do not have easy access but blog readers should be able to answer a question about van Rijn.
I am sheltering from the heat wave, listening to a report on the Iran War and concurrently reading two other works that provide blog material.
As John Carter said, "We still live." (I think he said "I" but "We" is better.)
3 comments:
Well, John Carter was immortal, except for the chance of getting a sword through the gut...
Kaor, Paul!
I see no need to learn other languages considering how and where I live.
As for the number of languages Old Nick knew, this is what he said in Chapter VI of SATAN'S WORLD: "Twenty-thirty bad. Ten-fifteen good. Anglic best of all."
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I have no need to learn other languages either which is why I don't but I wish that I had been taught Latin, French and Irish properly and had realized that knowledge and understanding of other languages is part of knowledge.
Paul.
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