September 24, 2001

Philippic

I've noticed a fair number of rock and roll and popular culture references in your explanations and examples. How could you miss the perfect opportunity for reminding us of the Simon and Garfunkel tune "A Desultory Phillipic"? And you could have taught us what a phillipic was at the same time.

C'mon, David, we were on vacation when we posted the definition of desultory! But I'll bite anyway.

A Philippic (spelled with one l and usually capitalized) is a spoken or written diatribe against whatever it is you feel that strongly about--be it a person, an idea, or a course of action, although the term Philippic was originally confined to a denunciation of a person. It comes from Demosthenes' 4th century B.C. orations against Philip, the king of Macedon (who was the father of Alexander the Great), delivered to the "men of Athens." Here's an excerpt, which proves that politics have been politics ever since the word was coined:

Whenever, men of Athens, we are discussing Philip's intrigues and his violations of the peace, I observe that all the speeches on our side are manifestly inspired by justice and generosity, and those who denounce Philip are all felt to be saying exactly the right thing; but of the much needed action, which alone would make the speeches worth hearing, little or nothing ensues.

Here's an example of its use in a recent book review: "The Trial of Henry Kissinger, by Christopher Hitchens, is a philippic pure and simple, a propaganda screed devoid not only of balance but also of proper recognition of the distinction between domestic criminal law and international law."

Paul Simon's 1966 lyrics for "A Simple Desultory Philippic, or How I was Robert McNamara'd Into Submission" are a little different from his 1964 version, which is in the Paul Simon Songbook. That one has Lyndon Johnson in the subtitle, and is a little nastier. The recording of the milder song is on the Simon & Garfunkel album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme. Here are the first and last verses:

I been Norman Mailered, Maxwell Taylored.
I been John O'Hara'd, McNamara'd.
I been Rolling Stoned and Beatled till I'm blind.
I been Ayn Randed, nearly branded
Communist, 'cause I'm left-handed.
That's the hand I use, well, never mind!
...
I been Mick Jaggered, silver daggered.
Andy Warhol, won't you please come home?
I been mothered, fathered, aunt and uncled,
Been Roy Haleed and Art Garfunkeled.
I just discovered somebody's tapped my phone.

In a 1990 interview, Art Garfunkel was asked what he thought about being included in the lyrics. He said: "I thought it was cute. Even though the sentiment is slightly negative. He's implying that he's been done to by these people. It's just a touch of a dig."

By Demosthenes' standards, Simon's lyrics are more of a whine than a Philippic.

Wendalyn