Not a scroll, but the oval that surrounds the names of pharaohs and gods in
hieroglyphic inscriptions. So-called because it presumably reminded
Napoleon's scientists of a cartridge. The cartouche was the key to
Champollion's deciphering of hieroglyphics. He knew what the proclamation
on the Rosetta Stone meant, but he didn't know which hieroglyphs
corresponded to which Greek words, until he intuited that the hieroglyphs
inside the cartouche were the pharaoh's names and epithets, and that many
of the hieroglyphs represented phonemes. He had already guessed that
Coptic, still spoken in Egypt, was a modern form of the ancient language.
To simplify a very complex story.
Mark
At 10:43 AM 6/15/2005 +0100, you wrote:
> Cartouche is itself a pun: an Egyptian scroll, and the cartridge for an
>old rifle shot.
>
>(Sorry to have to reveal its meaning), but H.D. uses I to good effect:
>
>
> Thoth, Hermes, the stylus,
>the palette, the pen, the quill endure,
>
>though our books are a floor
>of smouldering ash under our feet;
>
>though the burning of the books remains
>the most perverse gesture
>
>and the meanest
>of man's mean nature,
>
>yet give us, they still cry,
>give us books,
>
>folio, manuscript, old parchment
>will do for cartridge cases;
>
>irony is bitter truth
>wrapped up in a little joke,
>
>and Hatshepsut's name is still circled
>with what they call the cartouche.
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Poetryetc provides a venue for a dialogue relating to poetry and
>poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dominic Fox
>Sent: 15 June 2005 10:34
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: snapshot wednesday15th june 05
>
>"...at which point, we are to understand, the defendant lost his footing
>on the floor made slippery by the spilled beverage and, reaching out to
>steady himself, accidentally placed his hand upon the lady's - ahem -
>*cartouche*?"
>
>e. e. cummings does a good bilingual double-entendre in "My Love":
>
>thy thighs are white horses yoked to a chariot
> of kings
>they are the striking of a good minstrel between them is always a
>pleasant song
>
>- "pleasant song" being, of course, "bel canto".
>
>Dominic
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