The mosquito will not undermine the nose

This idiom is for everyone Slavic languages. At first, the phrase "a mosquito will not undermine the nose" was understood as tightly fitted boards, logs, stones, between which it was difficult to insert even such a thin and sharp object as a mosquito nose. In our time, the phraseological unit "a mosquito will not undermine the nose" is used to determine high-quality work in which it is difficult to find flaws.

root of evil

In the Bible, the expression is used in the sense of "the basis, the primary source of evil." It has the same meaning in modern language.

A drop sharpens a stone

The expression "A drop wears away a stone not by force, but by frequent falling" is attributed to many famous people- poets and scientists, in particular Ovid.

People came to this conclusion as a result of long-term observations. Indeed, even if it falls on a hard stone even drop by drop for a long time, its surface is gradually polished, and then a depression appears.

Phraseologism "a drop (of water) sharpens a stone" means that even the most difficult problem can be solved if you constantly make efforts, even small ones.

Better late than never

The author of the phraseologism is the ancient Roman historian Titus Levi, who used it in his great job"The Roman History of the Foundation of the City". Titus Levi worked on it for almost forty years, and the work consisted of one hundred and forty-two books. In many languages, the idiom "better late than never" has become widely used. IN figuratively- this is an encouragement, approval of the actions of a person who has done, albeit belatedly, an important, necessary, noble deed.

Croesus. To be rich like Croesus

The well-known name of the Lydian king Croesus became due to his untold wealth. Croesus was not only rich, but also generous: he made large sacrifices during the war with Persia. He was defeated, but escaped burning, because the victorious king liked his words: "You should not consider yourself happy man until life came to an end". Over time, the name "Croesus" acquired general meaning"rich".

Winged word (expression)

Expression belongs to ancient Greek poet Homer. In his poems "Iliad" and "Odyssey" is repeated several times. Homer called words "winged" because they seem to fly from the mouth of the one who speaks into the ears of the listener. Now the expression itself has become winged. It is used in the meaning: apt expression, aphorism, popular quote.

crocodile tears

Even the ancients observed: when a crocodile eats a victim, especially a person, it cries, but does not stop eating. Therefore, crocodile tears have become a symbol of insincere, hypocritical sympathy.

Mutual responsibility

Mutual responsibility is a system of collective obligations of the inhabitants of one district to the authorities, the existence of which is reflected in the Russkaya Pravda by Yaroslav the Wise (XI century). It persisted almost until the beginning of the 20th century. in rural communities. If the community was taxed, collected some funds (state, zemstvo), it had to guarantee their payment. Even if someone shied away from his contribution, committed a shameful act, the whole society answered in case of refusal to participate in some kind of lawlessness, he still had to bear responsibility with all members. Phraseologism "mutual responsibility" means mutual responsibility in a certain social environment, team, group for someone, something. There is another meaning: mutual refraining from honest confession, hiding something (for the purpose of salvation, reward, etc.). The formula "one for all, and all for one" also applies to mutual responsibility.

Wherever you throw - everywhere a wedge

At times Kievan Rus communal lands were distributed among the peasants in small plots, so that everyone equally got allotments on good and sandy and infertile land. The owner of each wedge (one-eighth of a tithe or 1.25 acres) was determined by lot. So all the fields were broken into blades of peasant land, there was not a single whole good land. There was a lack of fertile soil, and you can't grow much on a small blade. Often, therefore, misunderstandings arose between the peasants. The wedge became between people. Hence the expression "to drive a wedge", that is, to separate, quarrel.

Phraseologism "wherever you throw - everywhere a wedge" means the hopelessness of the situation.

Better late than never

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. This phrase is said to those who do something late, or as a call to action, if someone already doubts the need for belated decisions and actions. The proverb is international, goes back to lat. Potius (Pmestat) sero quam nunquam. It was used by many ancient writers, for example, Titus of Livy in the famous "History". Often quoted as a French proverb: Mieux vaut tard quejamais. English: Better late than never. Spanish: Mas vale tarde que nunca. Italian: Meglio tardi che mat. German: Besser spat als nie. Polish: Liepiejpoino niz nigdy. ffi.

Now everyone famous saying"Better late than never!" is a good stimulus for action. If before it was not possible to achieve your cherished goals or any thoughts did not come to your mind - you are now complaining: "I wish I could lose twenty years .... Or return to the old days ... then ... !! But people around are increasingly saying: "Start now! You still have a lot to do" And there is a lot of confirmation of this in literature, the Internet and other information sources, when people began to work on their figure after 50 years and achieved incredible results, became writers, made a fortune for themselves, reached financial heights, translated any ideas into reality .. .

A few notable examples of this:

American John Reinton, having worked as a truck driver until the age of 69, went on a well-deserved rest, so that after spending almost 7 years in idleness he was bored, he could gather pensioners like him and organize a company of “grandparents on call”, whose clients were children who didn't have their own grandparents. The business turned out to be so successful that after 3 years the company had branches in 12 states, and John Rainton himself became a millionaire.

And here are two women (below in the video), participants in bodybuilding competitions: 73-year-old Kelly Nelson and her 45-year-old daughter Colin. Kelly began training at the age of 53 at her home. Later she began to go to the local Gym. She also introduced her daughter to the figure. I think not every 20-year-old girl can boast of such ideal forms!

Let's look at the other side of this phrase. Should we always follow it?

There are so many things in life that become irrelevant over time. It happens that we didn’t manage to do something, because other values ​​were a priority at that time! And all our lives we cherish the dream of unfulfilled hopes and live in the past!

They dreamed of becoming a doctor and failed! So maybe now and not grab onto this idea, but continue his professional growth in the current direction and look for the positive here?!

There are enough people living yesterday among us!

Once, a friend of mine was going to put things in order at work for a long time. She said that she wanted to make all documents perfect, revise old reports, correct plans, clean folders ... And finally, she managed to devote part of her precious time to this! And! .... A week later, their organization was reorganized. All the perfect folders are now rotting in the garage....

Maybe once again it is worth really assessing the situation, placing the accents correctly, looking into the future, choosing an excellent perspective for your goal and not being guided by the phrase "Better late than never." And say to yourself: “It doesn’t matter anymore, I will live in the present moment and think about something else ...!”

But still! Let's not forget the most important values ​​of our life - these are the values ​​of communication!

Better late than never: Give your loved one a smile, an affectionate word! Give love to your children, care and understanding to parents!

In the hustle and bustle of life, we often become, and when we remember this, it is sometimes too late! Children grow up, parents leave... And we are no longer able to change the time!

Remember how much kind words did you send to other people today?

Will it happen in life that your child will never know how much you love him?

Good feelings, words of recognition - let them accompany your life. And the phrase " Better late than never will become a little different: "The sooner the better!"

It is welcomed and allowed to reprint and distribute the materials of the site, provided that their authorship is indicated and the text remains unchanged, with a link to our site. And the link must be working!

Better late than never (Potius sero, quam nunquam) - it is better to do something late, late than never to do something.

The expression comes from ancient rome(lat. Potius sero, quam nunquam). For the first time this expression is found in the fourth book of the "History of the Roman People" by the historian of Ancient Rome Titus Livius (59 BC-17 AD). These words are pronounced by Dionysius of Halicarnassus.

In the Russian language, the expression came in this form from foreign European languages and above all, from French: Mieux vaut tard que jamais.

The proverb is listed in the Oxford Dictionary "The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable" - "Better Late Than Never".

The expression is specified in American dictionary"American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms" by Christine Ammer, 1992. It is stated that in English language the expression has been used since the 1200s and was usually added - "but better never late" (but it's better never to be late). That is full version of this proverb - better late than never, but better never late (Better Late Than Never, but better never late).

“How to treat the problem of age? My advice - forget about it! When it comes to others or yourself, pay attention to experience, intelligence, imagination, talent, energy, decency, kindness - what really matters in any human being - and completely ignore age. It does not matter, and in any case, it is difficult to comprehend. Worst of all, it leads to costly mistakes that you don't want to make,” writes Barbara Sher in her new book, Better Late Than Never. Here are five rules that will help you avoid mistakes.

Better late than never

Rule #1 Don't think you're too old for something until you're too old.

A gray-haired woman came up to me in a bookstore in Wyoming and said, “What a pity I didn't hear from you years ago. There were things that I wanted to do, but nothing worked. And now it's too late."

I asked: "Are you sick?"

"No, no, but I'm already sixty-three, I really waited too long."

“You know,” I said, “you can live to eighty or ninety. And you will feel like a complete fool when you realize that you considered yourself old at sixty-three! You will definitely not like this feeling. Better get started now."

Her problem is that, like you and me, she was prematurely traumatized by her own birthdays. By the time we're smart enough to realize how young we were at forty, fifty, or sixty, we'll be seventy, eighty, or ninety!

That is why it is so important to pay special attention to what should not be put off. If everything is in order with your health, it's time to start hiking. Don't put it off until seventy. On the one hand, what if your body then can not carry you? On the other hand, by the age of seventy you will be doing other wonderful things that your hands did not reach before, and, in any case, you will be too busy for hiking.

You already notice small physical problems? Great. Write a list of what works and use it. Don't waste time regretting your growing waist or thumb, which behaves unimportantly. Most likely, you are in the right shape for what you need to do during this period of life, just like you were in the right shape as an infant or teenager.

Most importantly, do not forget: if the body allows you to do something, then you are not too old for this.

Rule number 2. Time is clay. Create something out of it.

Remember all the things you always wanted to do but didn't seem able to do, like travel, dance or write? It's time to start. If, like most people in their forties, you are responsible for countless projects and have very little free time, remember: for the work you love to contribute bright colors into your life, it is not necessary to devote everything to him work time. Five minutes a day of writing or singing, dancing or leafing through travel brochures will be like water to a thirsty plant. And those five minutes will incredibly increase the chances of doing something to the fullest. I promise: familiarity with the subject will open up new possibilities.

Rule number 3. If you have A big dream follow her. But don't think it's the last one.

Is there anything significant you would like to do before you get "too old"? Go ahead and do it if you can. But do not fool yourself, thinking that, having completed your plan, you will agree to grow old. One dream will never be enough. In fact, the best reason to take on a lifelong dream is to get it out of the way so you can move on to your next dreams. One day you will see that this dream was only a warm-up.

You are entering the age of big beginnings, and your dreams are just starting to line up.

Rule #4: Beware of premature regrets.

"Of all the sad words written or spoken, the saddest of all is 'It was possible!'" If you are wondering where the years have gone and whether you have wisely disposed of your life, keep in mind: the question is great, but the time is not right for it yet. What have you done in life? My answer: who can know? There is a good chance that your life has not yet begun.

Remember: “What you do today, right now, will be your ticket to happiness. This is not the end at all. This the most important beginning. Over the years, you have moved from animal instincts - blind impulses that overshadowed everything - and have come to awareness, the ability to see and understand what you are looking at.

Think about it. This change is one of the most significant in your life. It is like being blind and now seeing again. But the change affected not only the ability to see the world around. Mindfulness awakened an understanding of who you are, where you are and where you want to go. Your car finally has a driver, and it's you - the real you, the genuine one, not the one you thought you were supposed to be. There is a real road in front of you, here it is, and it is intended for you personally.

Time always gives more than it takes. Time has brought you here, carried away your sorrows, allowed you to blossom. It gave true wealth, made up of accumulated decisions and lessons learned, events, skills, insights, relationships with people. Encounters with life have helped shape and understand what you are made of. Time has regularly deposited into the bank account of your experience. You have become a treasure trove - how Library of Alexandria. And every year the value of treasures is increasing.

Time is your material. All the great things you get to do will be carved out of time. The sailor uses the waves and the wind, time will carry you. And the outlined limit of time is nothing but the pier from which you push off at the beginning of the journey.

Rule #5: Remembering your mortality is good.

Recognition of one's mortality helps to feel currently like nothing else. Have you ever been near a dying person? To see how a person refuses everything superficial and penetrates into the essence of every moment of life is the deepest experience. Suddenly the "here and now" appear like never before. My friend, a journalist accustomed to working sixty to seventy hours a week, found herself facing a long illness and the inevitable death of her father. She took an indefinite leave and settled in his house: “I just wanted to be with him. What is especially possible here is just to play with the cat, bring him tea.

That's the sense of timelessness that many of us have lost, isn't it? But awareness of the finiteness of time, like nothing else, makes us act. Knowing that you will die is the beginning of serious accomplishments.

Based on the book "Better Late Than Never"

"Otto" is one of Handel's "historical" operas, although the creators of the work cared little for the authentic transmission of the facts known to historians (the libretto was borrowed from Stefano Pallavicino and revised true friend and Handel's colleague, Nikola Heim). In the baroque era real events and the characters were, roughly speaking, only an "excuse" for composing stage intrigues and "jewelry" melodies. And music in this manifestation is not alone among other arts. The plot has everything you need: family reunion, disguise of an aristocrat as a pirate, an impostor in the role of emperor and groom, kidnapping of the bride, escape from the dungeon, thirst for revenge, ardent love and the triumph of good.

The music is a concentration of lyrics capable of becoming fatal for the hypnotic centers of the brain: there are more cantilena arias than bravura ones, which is perhaps one of the reasons for the lower popularity of Ottone compared to many other operas by the same composer. This is unfair, because the music here is brilliant, as always with Handel, and fantastically beautiful.

The main roles at the premiere were played by the "classical" prima donna Francesca Cuzzoni (Feofano), who was almost thrown out the window by Handel for not wanting to perform the aria Falsa imagine; Senesino (Otto), one of the most famous castrati of that time; Gaetano Berenstadt (Adalberto), also a castrato, who often sang villains because of the legendary disproportion of his body; Giuseppe Maria Boschi (Emireno); Margherita Durastanti (Gismonda), another Handelian prima donna; and Anastasia Robinson (Matilda), Handel's favorite and "queen" of supporting roles in his operas.

The London premiere took place in 1723 at the Theater on the Hay Market, and the Russian premiere took place only now, in Concert hall named after Tchaikovsky, which, in combination with a set the most talented performers makes this event special.

Marianne Beata Kielland (Otto) pleases with a gorgeous musical taste, perfectly masters breathing and perfectly displays cantilenas. Joan Lunn (Feofano) captivates with a beautiful light voice, although in a high register it sometimes turns into a “beep”, and the performance as a whole sounds somewhat monotonous. Alexander Miminoshvili (Emireno) is the most "acting" of all the soloists. It seems to me that his voice is more suitable for the performance of Rossini's compositions, and in the baroque opera I heard slight roughness, which, however, did not interfere with the music at all. Anna Bonitatibus (Gismonda) is a very professional singer. Queen pianissimo: aria reprise Vieni, o figlio- a real masterpiece of singing whisper. Yuri Minenko (Adalbert) has a beautiful timbre, impeccable technique and heartfelt emotionality. In his first aria, he went to the "male" voice, but he did it very naturally and evenly, and then he did not resort to such "tricks". The voice of Romina Basso (Matilda) has the darkest coloring: it would be ideal for playing the roles of sorceresses. The only thing that bothered me personally was the “disappearance” of the last sounds in phrases, although, on the other hand, this technique is not without expressiveness.

Duets, and there are two of them in "Ottone", and the final "chorus" demonstrated the singers' excellent ability to "merge" their voices, and to absolute harmony of dissonant timbres. The radiant conductor Christopher Molds brilliantly prepared this opera with the virtuosic and sensitive State Academic Chamber Orchestra of Russia.

In short, "Otton" has become a real celebration of music. Both the musicians and the singers demonstrated their best qualities and sincere love for the sounds born of their will.

Photo: Provided by the press service of the Moscow Philharmonic

All rights reserved. Copying is prohibited.