Rule, Britannia!
Gordon Brown’s new government set out recently to frame a values statement for England comparable to our Bill of Rights, but the effort soon degenerated into a brainstorm for mottoes or slogans. Of many dippy suggestions, the best we heard was suggested by the Earl of Mar and Kellie, who said the British could use the Scottish motto, “Nemo me impune lacessit,” which he translated from Latin as,
“Do not sit on a thistle.”
Gilbert & Sullivan could have spared them the search (I thought this was from HMS Pinafore but couldn’t find it there):
“Britannia rules the waves but never waives the rules.”
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If that’s the direction they are heading, then the Real Reigning Queen of Britain (J.K. Rowling) should provide the tagline: “Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus” (Never tickle a sleeping dragon).
Comment by Mark — January 26, 2008 @ 2:29 pm
“Britannia Waives the Rules” was a number in the 1930’s musical revue ‘Pins & Needles’. It was one of those bandwagon shows like “Forbidden Broadway” that was changed a lot to keep people coming, and they used to do send-ups of G&S frequently.
Comment by Mark — January 26, 2008 @ 2:32 pm
Thanks for the proper provenance. As for the Queen’s motto, I wouldn’t titillandus anyone’s nunquam anyway, but it’s nice to know. Also reminiscent of the Japanese admiral who groaned after Pearl Harbor that they had awakened a sleeping giant…or dragon, or tiger, or something, but definitely a big, sleepy one.
Comment by Al — January 26, 2008 @ 9:52 pm