Meme gacked from dreamflower02

1. Take the lyrics to a favorite song.

2. Go to Google Language Tools or Altavista Babelfish and translate the lyrics into German; then from German to French; and finally from French back into English.

3. Post the results verbatim.

4. Invite your friends to guess the song based on the newly mangled lyrics.

Here's mine:

fix your soft and harms principal inert fall, you came at the end from the voyage. Sleep now and dreams that which to come front. They name on distant bank. Why do you cry? What is these tears after your face? You see soon that the whole one exceeds far your fear, surely in my arms which sleep only you. What can you on the horizon see? Why do they name these Moeven white? On the sea, the moon of plate increases -- to come to transport the ships you house. The paddle turns a race in the silver plated light of glass has on water all the hearts. Hope verblaesst in the world of the night by the shades which fall from a memory and time. Do not say, "came to us now at the end." Banks white call meet you and me again. And you are here precisely in my dormant arms. What can you on the horizon see? Why do they name these Moeven white? On the sea, the moon of plate increases -- to come to transport the ships you house. And all turn in the silver plated light of glass has on water that gray ships lead in the west.

Fortitude

I am thinking about Neville Longbottom again.

When I wrote my Seven Deadly Sins/Seven Heavenly Virtues essay on the Harry Potter books, I argued that Neville embodied the virtue of Fortitude:

Fortitude means strength, courage, endurance and resoluteness. Some might term it “grit” or “guts.” This virtue is the first of the Seven Heavenly Virtues derived from what the Greeks termed the cardinal virtues. Note the etymology: the words “fort” and “fortify” are derived from the same Latin root, “fortis,” meaning “strong.” Like a fort, fortitude is something which shields the hero under siege, like Harry and his friends, all assailed by Lord Voldemort. Fortitude thus is a protective virtue, both for individuals and groups. . . . Fortitude manifests itself both in active and passive forms. Passive fortitude means bearing things (ranging from the merely vexing to the dreadful) without giving up or giving in. For Harry, at a more minor level, this means for example enduring the jibes of classmates who mistakenly think he cheated to get his name in the Goblet of Fire (of course it helps to have Hermione sitting beside him intoning, “ignore them, ignore them, ignore them.”) It means stoically bearing the pain of Dolores Umbridge’s detentions without breaking. This kind of fortitude, because it is passive, can be easily underestimated or overlooked. A very subtle example of this, perhaps, might be Neville Longbottom, who earns Harry’s belated respect once Harry realizes that Neville has lost his parents to Voldemort, too. Neville carries on, nevertheless, trying to conquer his fear of Snape in Potions class, without a murmur of complaint, without even telling anyone. Just quietly going on about his life and humbly doing his best, while continuing to faithfully visit his parents at the hospital on his holidays, although they are unable to even recognize him. Harry is ashamed that he has never truly seen the truth about Neville before learning it in Dumbledore’s Pensieve, but it is understandable why he did not—this kind of fortitude does not draw attention to itself.

I was thinking about this, as I mulled over the movie. I have seen all sorts of squeeing on line about Matthew Lewis' performance (oohh so cuuuutteee! What a woobie! I luuurrrved seeing him dance with Ginny!) Well, yes, but that is not what I think about when I reflect on why I hold Neville so close to my heart. I admire him the most when he is standing out there in the corridor after the three unforgiveable curses lesson, gamely trying to pull himself back together without letting any of his friends see. It breaks my heart particularly because it's the kind of heroism that people will never notice. You admire Harry Potter for facing a dragon, and I do, too. But there are people, like Neville, who truly bear unbearable things every day, and no one is ever there to applaud or award them a Triwizards cup. It never even occurs to them that they are doing anything worthy of admiration.

Neville, I really do admire you. And to all the real-life Neville Longbottoms of the world: I salute you. May you someday enjoy the respect that you truly deserve.