@terdon So you knew @Cerb was older than 19. Good. I was trying to figure out his age, and that may be a very good and close estimate to go on.

Joking aside, I thought that, when you said it should be read when you're younger, you meant that the theme or some core features of the novel are of the kind that appeals more to young adults. But now you're sounding like you're saying you won't fall for the book once you're old enough and know better.

I wanted to know where the age element lay.

For me, an important factor is whether the audio version is available on YouTube, which is for The Magus, and not for The French Lieutenant's Woman, so I guess I'll get a taste of the former first.

hi

anyone home?

Hi, what does this "thankless attendance on the great" in the following sentence mean? The effort of going to church, which is not rewarding?: "Some are worn down by the voluntary enslavement of thankless attendance on the great."

Or just "unrewarding devotion to Christianity"? Am I right to take "the great" as God?

[ SmokeDetector | MS ] Bad keyword with a link in answer: Do you change your career or careers? by Robin Anderson on english.SE

@key_asdfg To understand the meaning of that one phrase needs a lot more context than just the one sentence. Do you have a link to the source? Also, since it seems to be in a religious context, the meaning may be much more about the cultural context and you might get a better perspective from christianity.stackexchange.com

@key_asdfg @Mitch It's not a religious context. It's an observation by Seneca of one way people fritter away their lives.

"sunt quos ingratus superiorum cultus uoluntaria seruitute consumat"

@MetaEd But @key_asdfg must have had some context (not that particular passage in Seneca) for them to feel a hint towards church or God. Maybe a sermon they read or heard used it?

@key_asdfg without that context, the sentence seems to mean some people spend their energy being subservient, like a secretary to a boss. I would not expect a 'devout Christian' to consider their faith to be 'thankless voluntary enslavement' to God (it sounds kind of negative) unless in a context of humility and subservience considered as virtues. Seneca is presenting that sentence as a negative judgement of that kind of person, but the sermon may be trying to reverse its intended meaning.

'superiorum' is the originl latin that is translated to 'the great'. I'm not a religious scholar, but that doesn't sound like the usual hagionyms for God. But 'unrewarding devotion to Christianity' sounds more plausible.

oops, hagionym is the word for names of saints.

I meant a the name for the names of God, like Lord, Yahweh, Adonai, etc etc.

What is the word for the 'word for God'? like synonym for god.

Theonym?

Theremin?

@Mitch gospel?

oh, sorry, I thought you said "of god"

@Mitch @MetaEd Got it, thanks!

@Robusto It was sort of starting to be discussed. I shouldn't have pung you.

I mean last night I shouldn't have pung you.

@Robusto The novel. I haven't even seen the film.

@Mitch Deonym?

What would be another, less offensive, way of saying "who's a** to kick"? In the context of, now you know "who's a** to kick"?

@Eddie Butt?

good point

Got one with a different phrase entirely ?

Now you know who to blame?

. . . take vengeance on?

. . . smite?

Oh, and you want whose not who's.

@terdon brilliant, thank you, x2

You're welcome.