S. P. Q. R.

[Barbara Need]

It is certainly earlier than one I am familiar with. The context is
the Italian version of Asterix and the Olympic Games. Asterix and
Friends declare themselves to be Romans (so that they will be
eligible to compete) and the Roman legionnaire officer (I don't
remember his rank) who is spying on them says "Sono Pazzi Questi
Romani" (These Romans are crazy--usually said by Asterix's friend
Obelix about real Romans). I realize that this is Italian and not
English, but it seemed perfectly normal. Of course, it is worth
remembering that the Asterix books are quite punful, so that needs to
be taken into consideration. I was just pleased that my Italian (a
language I have never studied) was good enough to get the joke!

Barbara

>The following is from a portrait of James Gordon Bennett, the most
>loathed and loathesome newspaper publisher in NYC until Rupert
>Murdock came to town.  But our loss was Australia's gain, I suppose.
>
>1842:   I have not said that James Gordon was open hearted or
>straightforward; nor do I intend to, although I might; for his motto
>is S. P. Q. R., salaries paid quite regular.  [New York] Sunday
>Mercury, February 7, 1841, p. 2, col. 2
>
>Is or was this twisting of the motto of the Roman Republic
>traditional?  I haven't encountered it before.
>
>GAT
>
>George A. Thompson
>Author of A Documentary History of "The African
>Theatre", Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998.