Qtd: á Kempis
I
meed for a little labour and infinite glory for a transitory shame.
The Imitation of Christ, Thomas á Kempis (Part 3, Chapter XL; p 240)
I
meed for a little labour and infinite glory for a transitory shame.
The Imitation of Christ, Thomas á Kempis (Part 3, Chapter XL; p 240)
My translation of á Kempis is rather archaic and I must confess that upon first encountering the word “meed,†I thought it was a variation on the spelling of the word “mead.†Undoubtedly some of you are aware that “mead†is an alcoholic drink made from water, fermented honey and spices.
Of course, my thought was that á Kempis was using the delight brought about by an excellent beverage as a sort of analogue for heaven—such a comparison has been hinted at by others, notably Luther.
Alas, upon checking “meed’s†meaning I discovered its true definition (A fitting recompense. Archaic. A merited gift or wage.).
Now I do find the mutability of the homonym rather funny, and who is to say that “everlasting mead†really is a bad thing or even outside of á Kempis’ original meaning?