Don't take it literally

Mr. Richard's letter (June 18, 1996) under the heading Greek to him deserves some remarks. Probably, while attending Oxford University, Mr. Richard neglected to learn that a word cannot be translated ad litteram (literally) if extrapolated from the whole sentence.

Everyone knows that the Greek verb rei means "flows". Yet, when combined with panta, the two words automatically assume the meaning "everything ends" and not "everything flows."

As a former classical scholar at Roma University -- the cradle of classical culture -- I dedicate to Mr. Richard an ancient Roman saying: unicuique suum tribuere. Literally translated, it would mean "Attribute to everyone its own". But in this case, it would be better to translate it as: "Let people do what they are able to do."

My inadequate knowledge of English doesn't allow me to perform a correct translation from Latin into the English language, but I believe that saying can be understood by Oxford University's scholars as well.

PIERO RONCI

Jakarta