The Ash Wednesday Supper

FIRST DIALOGUE

There are two animals which the prophet A reference to Isaiah 1:3: "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib." said possessed more intellect than the people of Israel: the ox, because it knows its owner, and the ass, because it knows how to find its master's manger. Two were the mysterious mounts of our Redeemer, signifying his ancient Hebrew believer and the new Gentile believer: the she-ass and the foal. From these two names are derived the titles of Augustus's secretary: Asinius and Pollio Gaius Asinius Pollio was a Roman orator and historian; the speaker is punning on his name "Asinius" (resembling "asinus" or ass).. There are two kinds of asses: the domestic and the wild. Two are their most common colors: gray and dark brown. There are two pyramids upon which the names of these two and other similar doctors must be inscribed and dedicated to eternity: the right ear of the Horse of Silenus Silenus, the tutor of Dionysus, was traditionally depicted riding an ass., and the left ear of the antagonist of the God of the gardens The "God of the gardens" is Priapus. In mythology, an ass's braying famously prevented Priapus from assaulting a nymph, making the ass his "antagonist.".

PRUDENTIO: A genius of excellent character original: "Optime indolis ingenium", an enumeration by no means to be despised.

FRULLA: I glory in this, my master Prudentio, because you approve of my discourse; for you are more prudent than Prudence herself, since you are prudence of the masculine gender.

PRUDENTIO: Nor is that without wit and grace original: "Neque id sine lepore, et gratia". Come now, let us set aside these praises. Let us be seated because, as the Prince of the Peripatetics The "Prince of the Peripatetics" refers to Aristotle. The Peripatetics were his followers, named for the covered walkways (peripatos) where they studied. says, by sitting and resting we gain wisdom original: "sedendo et quiescendo sapimus"; and thus, until the setting of the sun, we shall prolong our tetralogue A conversation between four people. Prudentio is being pedantic about the number of speakers. regarding the outcome of the Nolan's The "Nolan" is Giordano Bruno himself, born in Nola. discussion with Doctor Torquato and Doctor Nundinio.

FRULLA: I would like to know what you mean by that "tretalogue."

PRUDENTIO: I said tetralogue, that is, a discourse of four people original: "quatuorum sermo", just as dialogue means a discourse of two original: "duorum sermo", trilogue a discourse of three original: "tritum sermo", and so on with pentalogue, heptalogue, and others, which are improperly called "dialogues"—as some claim the word means "discourses of different people" original: "diversorum logi." Prudentio is displaying his ignorance here; "dialogue" comes from the Greek "dia" (through/across) and "logos" (speech), not from "di" (two). Bruno is mocking the character's false erudition.. But it is not likely that the Greeks, the inventors of this name, held that...