Re: Fic: "Life: Version 2.0" (2/?)

[danspector@xxxxxxxxx]

Jim,

Ah, not as clear as I should have been. Darn.

Yes, I know very well that in "Becoming Part 2", Willow and Oz start by
incanting the restoration spell in Latin (not Greek), just as Willow had
done in Part 1. My point was that Willow, having discovered through
experience that the effective way to perform the spell is in Rumanian
(as she did once she was possessed) should begin any future restoration
attempts by starting in the correct language, not repeating her mistake
of beginning the spell in Latin. I'm quite certain that the spell isn't
meant to be performed in two separate languages, so there's no reason to
*intentionally* start in one and finish in the other, as Willow did in
"Orpheus" and Jenny does here.

I will allow for the possibility that it was merely Willow's possession
by the spirit of Jenny/Angel/the gypsy from 1898/the PTB/whomever that
allowed the spell to succeed, and the shift in languages was merely a
byproduct of this, and not a necessary component of the restoration.
But if I were Willow, I would make sweet love to Buffy...er, I mean, all
things being equal, I would do the spell in the language that I know had
worked before.

And again, since the possession seemed to be so importantto the Ritual
of Restoration, I have a real problem with "Orpheus" presenting the
Ritual as just something that Willow can knock off by herself. Unless
the whole point of the possession was that it was vital that the spell
be done in Rumanian, and only the spirit/whatever was aware of
this...see, you're messing with my fanwank, that's why I'm so nitpicky!
:) 

Dan

PSon Latin and Greek: did you know where the word "barbarian" comes
from? According to what I read, the Greeks, not being thrilled with
having been conquered and enslaved by the Romans, got back at them by
saying that Latin sounded like the baa-ing of sheep, hence the word that
started out as "baa-baa" and eventually became "barbarian".

The Romans were annoyed at this insult and got their revenge by saying
of any incomprehensible uttering "It's all Greek to me". (Plus, of
course, the killing and enslaving, which may have been a more effective
revenge...)

Or so I'm told.