LAS LENGUAS INGLESA Y ESPAÑOLA de Delfín Carbonell

Sometimes Homer nods. A veces dormita Homero.  The expression is as old as Western literature itself, and as forgiving as it is wise. It reminds us that even the greatest minds, the most consummate craftsmen, are not immune to error. The best scribe may blot his page; the finest swordsman may fall to a single thrust. “Yes, I made a mistake,” one might say, “but remember that sometimes Homer nods.”      The phrase dates back to Horace ( quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus ) and has long been used to underscore a simple, humane truth: genius does not confer infallibility. Talent, however towering, remains human.      A modern illustration of this idea can be found in an article published more than a quarter of a century ago by B. C. Goodpasture, the long-standing editor of the Gospel Advocate . Significantly titled Homer Sometimes Nods , the piece stresses that all human authors—regardless of their brilliance or experience—will occasionally “nod” or “s...

  Nobody is perfect and we are all prone to making mistakes. In Spanish it is said that el mejor maestro de espada muere de una estocada , and also el mejor escribano echa un borrón . But let me point out the most famous sayings about not being alert: Sometimes Homer nods A veces dormita Homero Yes, I made a mistake, but remember that sometimes Homer nods Sí, cometí un error, pero recuerda que a veces dormita Homero — “More than a quarter of a century ago, the late B.C. Goodpasture, respected editor of the Gospel Advocate for some thirty-eight years, published an article in that journal titled, Homer Sometimes Nods. The thrust of this fascinating essay was to show that human authors, regardless of their genius and skill, are fallible. Thus, in spite of their consummate care, they will “nod” or “slip” on occasion.” ChristianCourier.com. 1998-2004. UK. A veces dormita Homero Sometimes Homer nods — “El mismo Homero dormita tal vez, y cae Alejandro de su estado y de su engaño. Dep...