Quotations about:
    obscenity


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This said, the thief lifted his hands on high,
Making the figs with both his thumbs, and shrieking:
“The fico for Thee, God! take that, say I!”
At once I liked the snakes; for one came sneaking
About his throat, and wreathed itself around
As though to say: “I will not have thee speaking.”

[Al fine de le sue parole il ladro
le mani alzò con amendue le fiche,
gridando: “Togli, Dio, ch’a te le squadro!”.
Da indi in qua mi fuor le serpi amiche,
perch’una li s’avvolse allora al collo,
come dicesse ’Non vo’ che più diche’.]

Dante Alighieri the poet
Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) Italian poet
The Divine Comedy [Divina Commedia], Book 1 “Inferno,” Canto 25, l. 1ff (25.1-6) (1320) [tr. Sayers (1949)]
    (Source)

In Circle 8, the 7th Bolgia, where thieves are tormented by snakes. After chatting with Dante, one of the damned souls makes obscene gestures toward God.

The "fig" is generally thought to be poking the thumb between the index and middle finger, a gesture still found around the Mediterranean and Latin America, and carries the same sentiment as flipping someone off. The precise gesture is debated (with relish) by Dante scholars, all of whom agree at the very least that it is a naughty one.

(Source (Italian)). Alternate translations:

When thus the Thief had spoken, he his hands
Lifted aloft with mocking signs, and cried;
"See these, O God, for pointed they're to you."
The Serpents now were to me friends become;
For one entiwn'd himself about this neck,
As if he'd say, You shall not more blaspheme.
[tr. Rogers (1782)]

Sternly he ceas'd, with execrations dire;
And, loud blaspheming Heav'n's Eternal Sire,
He rais'd his ruffian hands, and dare his wrath!
But soon a spiny snake his members binds,
Another round his vocal passage winds,
And stops with many a fold the felon's breath.
[tr. Boyd (1802), st. 1]

When he had spoke, the sinner rais’d his hands
Pointed in mockery, and cried: “Take them, God!
I level them at thee!” From that day forth
The serpents were my friends; for round his neck
One of then rolling twisted, as it said,
“Be silent, tongue!”
[tr. Cary (1814)]

The plunderer ceased, and twisting both his thumbs
Between the fingers, tossed his hands on high,
Crying, "Take mine homage, God, to thee it comes!"
Thenceforth befriended me the serpent fry.
For one around his neck that moment twined.
As it had said, "None other word will I
From him."
[tr. Dayman (1843)]

At the conclusion of his words, the thief raised up his hands with both the figs, shouting: "Take them, God, for at thee I aim them!"
From this time forth, the serpents were my friends; for one of them then coiled itself about his neck, as if saying: "Thou shalt speak no farther!"
[tr. Carlyle (1849)]

And when his words were ended, there the thief
Upraises his hands in mockery on high --
"Take them, O God! I level them at thee."
Henceforth the serpent race and I were friends;
One, at the point, his neck entwining o'er,
As if -- "I do not wish thee to say more."
[tr. Bannerman (1850)]

He spoke, and when he ended then the thief
His hands uplifted, and with sign obscene,
Exclaim'd -- "Thus I defy thee, oh, thou God!"
Henceforth as friends I held that serpent brood,
For one of them coil'd instant round his neck,
As if he would have said -- "Speak thou no more!"
[tr. Johnston (1867)]

At the conclusion of his words, the thief
Lifted his hands aloft with both the figs,
⁠Crying: "Take that, God, for at thee I aim them."
From that time forth the serpents were my friends;
⁠For one entwined itself about his neck
As if it said: "I will not thou speak more"
[tr. Longfellow (1867)]

At the end of his speech the robber raised his hands with both their figs, crying, 'Take them, God, for at thee I show them.' From that time to this have the serpents been my friends, seeing that one wound itself then about his neck, as though it said: 'I will not that thou say more.'
[tr. Butler (1885)]

When he had closed his speech the robber there
Raised his clenched fingers with the thumb thrust through,
Shouting: "God take him, him to thee I bare."
Then did the serpents prove my guardians true,
For one entwined himself around his neck.
As though it said. Thou shalt not speak anew.
[tr. Minchin (1885)]

At the end of his words the thief raised his hands with both the figs, crying, “Take that, God! for at thee I square them.” Thenceforth the serpents were my friends, for then one coiled around his neck, as if it said, “I will not that thou say more.”
[tr. Norton (1892)]

His words came to an end, the thief held both his hands aloft with scornful gesture, the while he cried aloud: " Take it, God, for it is at Thee I aim it."
From thenceforth were the snakes my friends, for at that moment one of them entwined himself about his neck, as if to say," 'Tis not my will that thou shouldst utter more."
[tr. Sullivan (1893)]

When he had made an end of words, the robber
Upraised his hands with both the figs of insult,
Crying out: "Take it, God, at thee I square them."
Serpents have been endeared to me thenceforward;
For on his neck one coiled itself that moment,
As who should say: "I let thee not speak further."
[tr. Griffith (1908)]

At the end of his words the thief lifted up his hands with both the figs, crying, "Take that, God, for at Thee I square them!" From that time forth the serpents were my friends, for one coiled itself then about his neck, as if to say: I will not have thee say more."
[tr. Sinclair (1939)]

When he had made an end, the thief exclaimed,
Raising his hands with both the figs on high:
"Take thou them, God; at thee, at thee they are aimed."
Thenceforth the serpents were no enemy
To me; for round his neck, as if it hissed
Thou speak'st no more! one coiled and clung thereby.
[tr. Binyon (1943)]

When he had finished, the thief -- to his disgrace --
raised his hands with both fists making figs,
and cried: "Here, God! I throw them in your face!"
Thereat the snakes became my friends, for one
coiled itself about the wretch's neck
as if it were saying: "You shall not go on!"
[tr. Ciardi (1954)]

At the end of his words the thief raised up his hands with both the figs, crying, “Take them, God, for I aim them at you!” From this time forth the serpents were my friends, for one then coiled itself about his neck, as if it said, “You shall say no more.”
[tr. Singleton (1970)]

When he had finished saying this, the thief
shaped his fists into figs and raised them high
and cried: "Here, God, I've shaped them just for you!"
From then on all those snakes became my friends,
for one of them at once coiled round his neck
as if to say, "That's all you're going to say."
[tr. Musa (1971)]

When he had finished with his words, the thief
raised high his fists with both figs cocked and cried:
“Take that, o God; I square them off for you!”
From that time on, those serpents were my friends,
for one of them coiled then around his neck,
as if to say, “I'll have you speak no more."
[tr. Mandelbaum (1980)]

When he had finished speaking the thief
Raised both his hands, making obscene gestures,
And called out: ‘There you are God, so much for you!’
From that moment the serpents were my friends,
Because one of them wound about his neck
As if to say: ‘I want you to say no more.'
[tr. Sisson (1981)]

The thief held up his hands when he was through,
And "God," he cried, making the fig with both --
"Take these: I aim them squarely up at you!"
The serpents were my friends from that time forth.
For then one coiled itself about his neck
As if to say, "That's all then, from your mouth."
[tr. Pinsky (1994)]

At the end of his words the thief raised his hands with both the figs, crying: “Take them, God, I’m aiming at you!”
From then on snakes have been my friends, because one of them wrapped itself around his neck, as if to say “I won’t let him say more.”
[tr. Durling (1996)]

At the end of his speech, the thief raised his hands, both making the fig, the obscene gesture, with thumb between fingers, shouting: ‘Take this, God, I aim it at you.’ From that moment the snakes were my friends, since one of them coiled itself round his neck, as if hissing: ‘You will not be able to speak again.’
[tr. Kline (2002)]

His words now reached their end. And then the robber
hoisted hands on high -- a fig-fuck formed in each --
and screamed: "Take that! I'm aiming, God, at you!"
From that point on, the serpents were my friends.
For one entwined its length around his neck
as if to say: "I'd have him speak no more."
[tr. Kirkpatrick (2006)]

Then, making the figs with both his thumbs,
the thief raised up his fists and cried:
'Take that, God! It's aimed at you!'
From that time on the serpents were my friends,
for one of them coiled itself around his neck
as if to say, 'Now you shall speak no more.'
[tr. Hollander/Hollander (2007)]

His words thrown down, the thief held up his hands,
Making an obscene gesture with both his thumbs
And crying: "For you, O God, I aim this at you!"
And then I began to like the snakes, for one
Of them was quickly coiling around his neck,
As if saying" "You've talked as much as you're allowed to."
[tr. Raffel (2010)]

The thief raised both his hands when he said this,
Two fingers up from each, the figs: and cried
“You get it, God? You know what you can kiss?”
From then on, all the snakes were on my side,
For one looped round his neck, as if to say
“You've said enough.”
[tr. James (2013)]

 
Added on 16-Jun-23 | Last updated 16-Jun-23
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History proves there is no better advertisement for a book than to condemn it for obscenity. Forbidden fruits have unique flavors, and the bounds of suppression create new limits of desire.

Holbrook Jackson (1874-1948) English journalist, editor, author
The Fear of Books, Part 2, ch. 1 (1932)
    (Source)
 
Added on 31-May-23 | Last updated 31-May-23
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These poor afflicted creatures spend their time with an ear against the speaker counting occurrences of the word bugger. If I had a large amount of money I should certainly found a hospital for those whose grip upon the world is so tenuous that they can be severely offended by words and phrases and yet remain all unoffended by the injustice, violence and oppression that howls daily about our ears.

Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry (b. 1957) British actor, writer, comedian
“Trefusis on Any Questions,” Loose Ends, BBC Radio 4 (c. 1987)
    (Source)

Reprinted in Paperweight (1992).
 
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I find it difficult to see how talk about sex can be placed under the kind of censorship the Court here approves without subjecting our society to more dangers than we can anticipate at the moment. It was to avoid exactly such dangers that the First Amendment was written and adopted. For myself I would follow the course which I believe is required by the First Amendment, that is, recognize that sex at least as much as any other aspect of life is so much a part of our society that its discussion should not be made a crime.

Hugo Black (1886-1971) American politician and jurist, US Supreme Court Justice (1937-71)
Ginzburg v. United States, 383 U.S. 463, 482 (1966) [dissent]
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Added on 13-Apr-23 | Last updated 13-Apr-23
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If the human body is obscene, complain to the manufacturer!

Larry Flynt
Larry Flynt (1942-2021) American publisher and pornographer
Sex, Lies & Politics: The Naked Truth (2004)
    (Source)
 
Added on 4-Nov-21 | Last updated 4-Nov-21
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We remark with pain that the indecent foreign dance called the Waltz was introduced (we believe, for the first time) at the English Court on Friday last. This is a circumstance which ought not to be passed over in silence. National morals depend on national habits: and it is quite sufficient to cast one’s eyes on the voluptuous intertwining of the limbs, and close compressure of the bodies, in this dance, to see that it is far indeed removed from the modest reserve which has hitherto been considered distinctive of English females. So long as this obscene display was confined to prostitutes and adulteresses, we did not think it deserving of notice; but now that it is attempted to be forced on the respectable classes of society by the evil example of their superiors, we feel it a duty to warn every parent against exposing his daughter to so foul a contagion. Amicus Plato sed mogis amica veritas. We pay a due deference to our superiors in rank, but we owe a higher duty to morality. We know not how it has happened (probably by the recommendation of some worthless and ignorant French dancing-master) that so indecent a dance now has for the first time been exhibited at the English court; but the novelty is one deserving of severe reprobation, and we trust it will never again be tolerated in any moral English society.

(Other Authors and Sources)
“Dance Called the Waltz,” The Times of London, 2nd printing (16 Jul 1816)
    (Source)

After the "introduction" of the waltz at a London Ball given by the Prince Regent. The dance had actually been present in London dance studios since 1812, and waltz music had come across from Europe earlier than that.

The Latin means "Plato I love, but I love Truth more," attributed to Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, 1096a.15.
 
Added on 29-Mar-21 | Last updated 29-Mar-21
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Senator Smoot is an institute
Not to be bribed with pelf;
He guards our homes from erotic tomes
By reading them all himself.

Ogden Nash (1902-1971) American poet
“Invocation,” New Yorker (Jan 1930)
    (Source)

Nash's poem was about US Senator Reed Smoot (R-Utah) (1862-1941), who had announced an effort in his tariff bill to ban the importation of pornography, leading to headlines of "Smoot Smites Smut." The bill went on to become the Smoot-Hawley Tariff, passed in June 1930.
 
Added on 18-Sep-20 | Last updated 18-Sep-20
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Good authors, too, who once knew better words
Now only use four-letter words
Writing prose.
Anything goes!

Cole Porter (1891-1964) American composer and songwriter
“Anything Goes” (1934)
 
Added on 30-Apr-20 | Last updated 30-Apr-20
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In olden days, a glimpse of stocking
Was looked on as something shocking,
But now, God knows,
Anything goes.

porter-anything-goes-wist_info-quote

Cole Porter (1891-1964) American composer and songwriter
“Anything Goes” (1934)
 
Added on 19-Jan-17 | Last updated 19-Jan-17
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As for language, almost everything goes now. That is not to say that verbal taboos have disappeared, but merely that they have shifted somewhat. In my youth, for example, there were certain words you couldn’t say in front of a girl; now you can say them, but you can’t say “girl.”

Tom Lehrer (b. 1928) American mathematician, satirist, songwriter
“In His Own Words: On Life, Lyrics and Liberals,” Washington Post (3 Jan 1982)
 
Added on 3-Nov-16 | Last updated 3-Nov-16
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You know that prudery is only the other side of prurience. The words are even on the same page in the dictionary.

Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) Russian-American author, polymath, biochemist
The Gods Themselves, Sec. 3, ch. 12 (1972)
 
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Thus, if the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech and press is to mean anything in this field, it must allow protests even against the moral code that the standard of the day sets for the community. In other words, literature should not be suppressed merely because it offends the moral code of the censor.

William O. Douglas (1898-1980) US Supreme Court justice (1939-75)
Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 476, 513, dissenting opinion (1957)
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Added on 24-May-16 | Last updated 29-Jul-21
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SIMON: I swear — when it’s appropriate.

KAYLEE: Simon, the whole point of swearing is that it ain’t appropriate.

Ben Edlund (b. 1968) American cartoonist, writer, producer
Firefly, 1×07 “Jaynestown” (18 Oct 2002)
 
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The Law is a blunt instrument. It’s not a scalpel. It’s a club. If there is something you consider indefensible, and there is something you consider defensible, and the same laws can take them both out, you are going to find yourself defending the indefensible.

Neil Gaiman (b. 1960) British fabulist
Neil Gaiman’s Journal, “Why defend freedom of icky speech?” (1 Dec 2008)
    (Source)

See Dershowitz.
 
Added on 19-Jan-15 | Last updated 27-May-21
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“Holy shit,” I breathed. “Hellhounds.”
“Harry,” Michael said sternly. “You know I hate it when you swear.”
“You’re right. Sorry. Holy shit,” I breathed, “heckhounds.”

Jim Butcher (b. 1971) American author
Grave Peril (2001)
 
Added on 22-Jul-14 | Last updated 22-Jul-14
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You ask, What makes it worth defending? and the only answer I can give is this: Freedom to write, freedom to read, freedom to own material that you believe is worth defending means you’re going to have to stand up for stuff you don’t believe is worth defending, even stuff you find actively distasteful, because laws are big blunt instruments that do not differentiate between what you like and what you don’t, because prosecutors are humans and bear grudges and fight for re-election, because one person’s obscenity is another person’s art. Because if you don’t stand up for the stuff you don’t like, when they come for the stuff you do like, you’ve already lost.

Neil Gaiman (b. 1960) British fabulist
“Why defend freedom of icky speech?” blog entry (2008-12-01)
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Added on 30-Dec-08 | Last updated 1-Jun-23
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Obscenity is whatever happens to shock some elderly and ignorant magistrate.

Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) English mathematician and philosopher
Look, “What They Are Saying” (1954-02-23)
    (Source)

This column was a regular feature quoting notable comments by notable people. The actual source of the quotation, presumably made around this time, is unknown.
 
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Murder is a crime. Describing murder is not.
Sex is not a crime. Describing sex is.

Gershon Legman (1917-1999) American writer
Love & Death: A Study in Censorship (1949)
 
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