SC - Re: sca-cooks V1 #2071 - cooking vegetables

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Devra at aol.com wrote:
> 
> Um--The Emperor Augustus, who was apparently a kind of oldfashioned, down
> country boy, had a favorite proverb, which was "Quicker than boiled
> asparagus..."  (This info via the Claudius books of Robert Graves, which may
> or may not be really true---   :-}

Most of Graves' fictional account is based on Suetonius' "The Twelve
Caesars", for which Graves produced probably the definitive edition and
translation. I seem to recall Graves translates Suetonius' paraphrase
(or quote, I dunno) of Augustus' favorite expresson as, "Let it be done
quicker than boiling asparagus!" Suetonius inserts a little explanation
to the urban ignorant, to the effect that asparagus cook quickly!

I don't recall the expression being used more than once or twice in "I,
Claudius", but it appears frequently in the screenplay for the BBC TV
series. 

Adamantius, who has survived [almost] into middle age with half his wits
while thousands have died with all of theirs intact! Evidently quality
of wits is more important than quantity!

[All right, if you haven't figured it out, that was _my_ favorite line...]
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com