Old MEN and far travelers may lie by authority

Insights

Unverifiable Knowledge

The proverb suggests that knowledge derived from unique, unverifiable experience (long life or long journeys) occupies a space between fact and fiction. The 'lies' symbolize narratives that cannot be easily corroborated, forcing listeners to rely on the perceived authority of the speaker.

Credulity and Skepticism

This proverb functions as a simultaneous validation of storytelling and a subtle warning to the listener. It grants the storyteller license but also reminds the audience that accounts from those with extraordinary experiences should be met with a degree of healthy skepticism.

Shaping Collective Memory

The 'authority' to 'lie' can be interpreted as the power to shape history and culture through oral narrative. Elders transmit generational wisdom and travelers introduce new ideas, and their embellished stories become part of a community's collective memory, valued more for their moral or cultural weight than their literal truth.

The Authority of Experience

In pre-modern societies, where direct experience was the primary source of knowledge, elders and travelers held a unique narrative authority. Their stories, unverifiable by the listeners, were a vital source of history, entertainment, and worldly wisdom, granting them a social license for embellishment that was understood as part of the oral tradition.

Cultural Archetypes

The proverb reflects the archetypal roles of the 'wise elder' and the 'worldly traveler'. It acknowledges their esteemed position as storytellers while subtly hinting at their potential for deception, suggesting that the power to shape narratives is a double-edged sword that commands both respect and skepticism.

Psychology of Narrative Identity

The proverb taps into the psychological tendency for memory to become malleable over time and for individuals to embellish stories to enhance their own significance. The 'authority' can be seen as a social acknowledgment of these human traits, where the narrative's impact is valued over strict factual accuracy.

Storytelling as Artistic License

The cross-reference to 'Painters and poets have leave to lie' suggests that the 'lies' of old men and travelers are akin to artistic license. Their tales are not necessarily deceitful but are performances that blend fact with imagination to convey deeper truths or more engaging accounts of their experiences.

Rhetorical Devices

Paradox

The proverb creates a striking paradox by linking 'lie', an act of falsehood, with 'authority', a concept typically rooted in truth and credibility. This tension is what gives the proverb its cynical and memorable quality.

Parallelism

The phrase pairs two distinct groups, 'Old men' and 'far travelers', to emphasize a shared social privilege. This balanced structure reinforces the idea that both extensive time (age) and extensive space (travel) grant a similar license to bend the truth.

Irony

There is a strong undercurrent of irony in the suggestion that the very figures society looks to for wisdom and truth are the ones given permission to deceive. It cleverly subverts the listener's expectations of authority.