Pass the Salt

  Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome from 121 CE to March 180 CE was also known as a Stoic Philosopher. His tome Mediations, written during one of his campaigns of conquest, is often required reading for present day College Philosophy majors.  His work is still revered as a literary monument to philosophy of service and duty; describing how to find and preserve equanimity in the midst of conflict by following nature as a source of guidance and inspiration. 

   When his book was being translated from its original Greek, there arose some skepticism on the exactness of effort.  It wasn’t until a renowned expert on ancient Greek caught an obvious error that the doubts were well founded.  The translator, wishing to stay in good graces with the sponsor of the project, translated a passage where Marcus Aurelius was said to be praising a fellow at an official dinner with Obduco Sal salis as ‘he was the salt of the earth’ when in actuality it was ‘Pass the salt.”

  Sometimes things get blown out of proportion.