Rome and other ‘place’ idioms and proverbs

1. Rome was not built In one/a day – all great works take time to finish –  Róma sem egy nap alatt épült fel. (jó munkához idő kell)

Why Rome? What better city than Rome? Built by hand, stone by stone, conquest by conquest, it was a great empire as well as a great city. Rome’s history spans more than two and a half thousand years, since its legendary founding in 753 BC.

 2. Fiddle while Rome burns. – not paying attention while something very serious is happening – csapások, komoly dolgok idején valami komolytalannal foglalkozni

A possible explanation of this phrase is the story that Nero played the fiddle (violin) while Rome burned, during the great fire in AD 64.

3. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.   – it is best to do as the people do who are from that place; when visiting a foreign place it is best to do things the way those people do – ha valahol vagyunk, célszerű alkalmazkodni a helyi körülményekhez

The origin of the proverb is from the letters of St Augustine: ’When I go to Rome, I fast on Saturday, but here [Milan] I do not. Do you also follow the custom of whatever church you attend, if you do not want to give or receive scandal.’

4. All roads lead to Rome.-  there are many different ways of reaching the same goal or conclusion – Minden út Rómába vezet. (nem csak egyetlen módja van a célhoz érésnek vagy egy probléma megoldásának)

This proverb is based on the ancient Roman road system where roads radiated from the capital of Rome. The road system resembled spokes of a wheel.

5. Do not sit in Rome and strive with the Pope. – do not attempt to criticize or oppose a powerful person in his or her own territory, such as the Pope’s in Rome, who is synonymous with the Catholic Church – ne kritizálj hatalmon lévő személyt a saját területén

It is a Scottish idiom.

6. ‘to go to Rome with a mortar on one’s head’, or ‘hop to Rome’ – to do a hopelessly difficult and/or pointless task – teljesen értelmetlen dolgot cselekedni, „elmenni Kukutyinba zabot hegyezni”

7. Sent to Coventry – to refuse to associate with or speak to someone – kiközösíteni valakit, nem szólni hozzá

The idiom stems from the extreme unpopularity of soldiers stationed in Coventry, who were cut off socially by the citizens.

8. Carry coals to Newcastle – supplying something to a place where it is already plentiful, or thus, figuratively, to do something wholly superfluous – a tengerbe vizet hordani, szükségtelen dolgot cselekedni

Newcastle (a city in the north of England) has a history of being particularly productive in exporting coal.

9. Cross the Rubicon – by crossing the Rubicon, people cross a point of no return – átkelni a Rubiconon, fontos, megmásíthatatlan, végleges döntést hozni

The Rubicon once marked the boundary between Italy and Cisalpine Gaul. The future Roman Emperor Julius Caesar led his army across it, breaking a law which forbade a general to lead an army out of his province.

10. Road to Damascus – used in reference to an important moment of insight, typically one that leads to a dramatic transformation of attitude or belief – pálfordulás, hirtelen, egy csapásra bekövetkező fordulat

The Book of Acts, in the New Testament, gives the account of Paul (then named Saul) having a dramatic conversion to Christianity while on the road leading to Damascus, Syria.

11. From here to Timbuktu – a reference to a remote or extremely distant place – a világ másik végére is

Timbuktu (also spelled Timbuctoo), though doesn’t sound one, was actually a real place – specifically a town in northern Mali.

Countries and capitals. Can you match them?

Key

1. g.

2. d.

3. a.

4. j.

5. h.

6. b.

7. e.

8. c.

9. f.

10. i.