De "Jaet Laeggum" Res

Posted on 2006/11/26 13:49:22 (November 2006).

[26th November 2006]

I took the liberty of readapting a dead language (Latin) to something a bit newer like jet lag, a problem that obviously the Romans knew very well, it was really discussed in depth, and I feel that a bit of historical prospective might be needed by my readers, as I always complain about jet lag, but so were my ancestors...

Loosely translated the title would be "On the phenomenon of Jet Lag".

If you studied a bit more instead of wasting time playing with dolls, and riding a crappy tricycle, you'd know that Seneca, at the tender age of 10 already made several dissertations about jet lag (he was born in Span in 54 A.C. and used to go on holiday at the Maldives).

But it was indeed Archimedes that was the first to theorize that eating before going to be was going to avoid waking up in the morning after a long trip, as widely documented in his renowned "Vietnam - Lonely Planet Guide", a book that set the history of publishing for years to come.
The eating before going to be incidentally stops the body to vent its anger for not giving it breakfast or dinner (depends where you are jet lagging), as it expects to eat at certain times.

Probably the most important contribution to the history of jet lag references in the past was Ulysses.
He traveled the seven seas, and it's clear that the stop at Circe's island was infact because he was too much jetlagged to continue traveling.
He also was the first to theorize the use of music (sirens are great to the task), and wine (ask Polyphemus).
It's important to see that the effects of jet lag are not permanent, in his case they only lasted a couple of decades, but in the end your dog will recognize you and you'll be able to shoot an arrow like in the old days.

Caesar, before getting stabbed, had his own way of dealing with the treacherous side effect of travel. Once, he set off to go to France, they told him that the people there were painting their faces of blue and it was amusing to see them.

Of course he stopped in South Australia on the way, and when he arrived in France, crossing the Urals, it is said (though not confirmed by sound literature), that in a game of dice with a lieutenant he lost badly and due to jet lag he got extremely angry, shouting something like "alia iacta est" (the dice is cast).
Eventually he conquered the whole of Europe following this fit of anger.

In an attempt (vain) to beat jet lag, Socrates decided to drink the infamous hemlock chalice, which eventually meant death for him. The "Daimon" (the Socratic Daemon) was infact source of inspiration but also of stess, he didn't know the word then but it has been proven that the several trips to Iceland meant only one thing: "jet lag", the man couldn't live with it anymore...

So as we can see the fact that I am totally awake when I shouldn't doesn't have to impress anyone (not that you cared anyways)...

A good example of how sleep deprivation does strange things to a mans mind. :)

Posted by John at 2006/11/26 14:14:36.

Ha!! Excellent!!! :)

Posted by Nigel at 2006/11/26 16:52:58.

Hah! I've read some of these citations in Aves Incaelo. I give my scholarly stamp to this article. I should not, however, that it should be "De...re," as de takes the ablative here.

Posted by Travis at 2006/11/26 23:58:49.

Travis: You are completely right I shall make amend and change the tilte, but it would nullify yuor post if I did that so I will keep the mistake there! My latin has always been quite crap :(

Posted by Lox at 2006/11/27 01:19:59.

Muahaha. Mr. Classics strikes again!

Posted by Travis at 2006/11/27 01:33:25.

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