Our friends are arriving in Italy today, although not in Torino until this evening. After all the great weather we have been experiencing this fall, it has decided to rain. But my spirits are not dampened. I am happy to say that this morning, after some excellent Italian coffee I am sufficiently awake to begin planning for the day. As for our friends, I think they are somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean right now. I wonder what they will think of Torino? I can't wait to ask them what kind of travelling advice about Italy was given to them. I remember a well-meaning relative of mine told me before I first came to Italy "You don't need to know any Italian, all of them learn English in school." And I believed him. So funny!
On another note, one of my favorite people in the world has translated into English a nice piece about the mythical origins of Torino. You can read about it here .
And copied here:
On another note, one of my favorite people in the world has translated into English a nice piece about the mythical origins of Torino. You can read about it here .
And copied here:
Le Origini Di Torino Tra Miti E Leggende
Here is something from my history class... translated into English by me!
The origins of Torino are rooted in myths and legends.
First Legend:
Once upon a time there was a humongous serpent who had, I don’t know how many heads, that lived in the woods in the outskirts of Torino and was the terror of the merchants and the desolation of the citizens, many of them were captured and eaten. The Torinese were afraid and didn’t dare to confront the horrible beast. What a shame! However in this city, there was a big bull that one day confronted the monstrous devourer of men, with many horn-thrusts, he killed the serpent and freed the city. The bull received many honors and as a way to be publically recognized his image was put on the flag.
Italian version
C’era una volta un gran serpente, di non so quante teste, che abitava nei boschi nei dintorni di Torino ed era il terrore dei viandanti e la desolazione dei cittadini, poiche’ tanti di loro venivano catturati e divorati. I torinesi sbigottiti non osavano affrontare il terrible ammaliatore.
Che gran disgrazia! Pero’ in citta’ c’era un gran toro che un giorno affronto’ il mostruoso divoratore d’uomini e, a forza di cornate lo uccise e libero la citta. Al toro vennero fatti grandi onori e in segno di riconoscenza la sua immagine fu rappresentata nello stemma.
Second Legend:
In Taurasia, the ancient name of the city of Torino, the population was oppressed by a dragon that lived in the countryside. The farmers, because of fear, did not cultivate the fields and because of this food became scarce, and the inhabitants of the village became hungry and thirsty and had to take refuge in their houses. The desperation increased.
One day a farmer decided to use his thinking cap and separated his bull from the rest of the herd, to this bull he gave a strange red liquid: Wine!
The bull, after drinking his wine, was infuriated and started running around looking for an adversary with which to fight. And the adversary came. The bull advanced with full fury and with his sharp horns he ravaged the dragons’ belly. The bull wasn’t afraid at all when the dragon countered. The fight was long, terrible, truly legendary. The twilight showed the two enemies without life upon the path. The bull won, but with this victory he paid his life. The inhabitants of Taurasia the Torinese thankful for the victory of the bull, to commemorate the event decided the symbol of their village would be the image of their bull. This is why Torino’s flag features the bull.
The origins of Torino are rooted in myths and legends.
First Legend:
Once upon a time there was a humongous serpent who had, I don’t know how many heads, that lived in the woods in the outskirts of Torino and was the terror of the merchants and the desolation of the citizens, many of them were captured and eaten. The Torinese were afraid and didn’t dare to confront the horrible beast. What a shame! However in this city, there was a big bull that one day confronted the monstrous devourer of men, with many horn-thrusts, he killed the serpent and freed the city. The bull received many honors and as a way to be publically recognized his image was put on the flag.
Italian version
C’era una volta un gran serpente, di non so quante teste, che abitava nei boschi nei dintorni di Torino ed era il terrore dei viandanti e la desolazione dei cittadini, poiche’ tanti di loro venivano catturati e divorati. I torinesi sbigottiti non osavano affrontare il terrible ammaliatore.
Che gran disgrazia! Pero’ in citta’ c’era un gran toro che un giorno affronto’ il mostruoso divoratore d’uomini e, a forza di cornate lo uccise e libero la citta. Al toro vennero fatti grandi onori e in segno di riconoscenza la sua immagine fu rappresentata nello stemma.
Second Legend:
In Taurasia, the ancient name of the city of Torino, the population was oppressed by a dragon that lived in the countryside. The farmers, because of fear, did not cultivate the fields and because of this food became scarce, and the inhabitants of the village became hungry and thirsty and had to take refuge in their houses. The desperation increased.
One day a farmer decided to use his thinking cap and separated his bull from the rest of the herd, to this bull he gave a strange red liquid: Wine!
The bull, after drinking his wine, was infuriated and started running around looking for an adversary with which to fight. And the adversary came. The bull advanced with full fury and with his sharp horns he ravaged the dragons’ belly. The bull wasn’t afraid at all when the dragon countered. The fight was long, terrible, truly legendary. The twilight showed the two enemies without life upon the path. The bull won, but with this victory he paid his life. The inhabitants of Taurasia the Torinese thankful for the victory of the bull, to commemorate the event decided the symbol of their village would be the image of their bull. This is why Torino’s flag features the bull.
Italian version
A Taurasia, antico nome della citta’ di Torino, la popolazione era oppressa da un drago che viveva nelle campagne. I contadini lo temevano e non coltivavano piu’ I campi; a causa di cio’ il cibo scarseggiava e gli abitanti del villaggio soffrivano la fame, la sete ed erano costretti a rifugiarsi nelle loro case.
La disperazione aumentava.
Un giorno un contadino decise di usare l’astuzia per risolvere il problema: condusse le mucche nella stalla, mentre al toro diede da bere una strana bevanda rossa: il vino.
Il toro, dopo aver bevuto il vino, si infurio’ e si mise a correre cercando un avversario co cui sfogarsi. E l’avversario venne. Il toro avanzo’ con ferocia e, con le sue corna appuntite colpi’ il drago in pieno petto. Il toro non si spavento’ affatto quando il drago cotrattacco’ la lotta fu lunga, terribile, veramente leggendaria. Il tramonto mostro’ i due nemici che giacevano senza vita sul sentiero. Il toro aveva vinto, ma con la vittoria era arrivata la morte. Gli abitanti di Taurasia, i Taurisci, compiaciuti per la vittoria del loro toro e per ricordare l’avvenimento, decisero che a simbolo del loro villaggio fosse posta l’immagine virile del toro ed e’ per questo che nello stemma di Torino appare il toro.
A Taurasia, antico nome della citta’ di Torino, la popolazione era oppressa da un drago che viveva nelle campagne. I contadini lo temevano e non coltivavano piu’ I campi; a causa di cio’ il cibo scarseggiava e gli abitanti del villaggio soffrivano la fame, la sete ed erano costretti a rifugiarsi nelle loro case.
La disperazione aumentava.
Un giorno un contadino decise di usare l’astuzia per risolvere il problema: condusse le mucche nella stalla, mentre al toro diede da bere una strana bevanda rossa: il vino.
Il toro, dopo aver bevuto il vino, si infurio’ e si mise a correre cercando un avversario co cui sfogarsi. E l’avversario venne. Il toro avanzo’ con ferocia e, con le sue corna appuntite colpi’ il drago in pieno petto. Il toro non si spavento’ affatto quando il drago cotrattacco’ la lotta fu lunga, terribile, veramente leggendaria. Il tramonto mostro’ i due nemici che giacevano senza vita sul sentiero. Il toro aveva vinto, ma con la vittoria era arrivata la morte. Gli abitanti di Taurasia, i Taurisci, compiaciuti per la vittoria del loro toro e per ricordare l’avvenimento, decisero che a simbolo del loro villaggio fosse posta l’immagine virile del toro ed e’ per questo che nello stemma di Torino appare il toro.
oh my gosh thanks for the well wishes on my blog for my exam.. I sooo appreciate it. Have lots of fun with your friends who are to visit. I know you must be so excited. I'm sure they will love Italy. I've never been there, but would like to travel - perhaps after law school. My former boss's family is from Italy and it just sounds spectacular. Enjoy!
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