Chrysti The Wordsmith: When in Rome

Greetings herbivores I'm Christie Smith Christie the wordsmith from Montana State University in Bozeman. Proverbs are snippets of wisdom and advice transferred from one generation to the next. One fine example of compact proverbial wisdom is when in Rome do as the Romans do. This pithy admonition to travelers to observe local custom is generally believed to have originated in a letter written by St. Ambrose the fourth century A.D. Bishop of Milan translated from Latin St. Ambrose's advice reads. When you are at Rome live in the Roman style. When you are elsewhere live as they live elsewhere. These words were part of a letter written about for 87 A.D. to St. Augustine who is confused about the proper day for fasting. Saint Augustine knew that the Roman Church had decreed that Saturday was the day set aside for abstinence from food. Yet in Milan where St. Augustine resided the church had no such requirement. Wondering which practice to follow St. Augustine consulted the wise St.

Ambrose who replied with some advice that has since become in shrine in our treasury of Proverbs When in Rome do as the Romans do. I'm Christi the wordsmith from F am on the campus of Montana State University in Bozeman. Thanks to Brody Kates studio engineer and Dr. Philip Gaines consulting editor for the series website is wordsmith radio dot org. CHRISTIE The wordsmith is sponsored by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Zoot enterprises a high tech firm in Bozeman Montana offering challenging careers and innovative solutions for the financial services industry. Zoot web dot com.