Chapter 27. Asterix and Son

Rene Goscinny

Albert Uderzo

English Translations: Anthea Bell & Derek Hockridge

Abstract

A baby boy is found on Asterix's doorstep. The villagers must look after this little handful, while trying to find out where he came from...

Historical Note.  Cleopatra seduced Julius Caesar when he came to Alexandria in pursuit of Pompey. She bore his son.

Table 27.1. Asterix and Son - Annotations

Page, Panel Comment
Page 1, Panel 2 Adenoids: growths of tissue in the upper throat behind the nose.
Page 11, Panel 9 Quod erat demonstrandum = which was the thing to be proved (Euclid). Used in proofs as QED.
Page 12, Panel 9 "Big fleas have little fleas upon their back to bite 'em, and little has lesser fleas and so on ad infinitum." Jonathan Swift "Poetry, A Rhapsody".
Page 42, Panel 2 Ad nauseam = to the point of disgust
Page 43, Panel 1 See Asterix and Cleopatra
Page 44, Panel 5 A rare example of Caesar being on the same side as the Gauls

Table 27.2. Asterix and Son - Names

Name (in order of appearance) Comment
Bucolix Bucolic: rustic, countrified. He talks like stereotypical English country bumpkin.
Crismus Cactus Christmas cactus
Brutus Historical: Marcus Junius Brutus, adopted son of Julius Caesar and one of the conspirators who murdered him
Odiferus Odiferous: something that smells. Who's he look like ???
Aromatix Aromatic: something that smells.
Fotogenix Photogenic: looks good on camera
Aspidistra A houseplant with broad tapering leaves
Cleopatra Historical: 69-30 BC, queen of Egypt and mistress of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. There were many "Cleopatra"s but this is the famous one.
Caesarion Historical: Ptolemy XVI ruled till 30 BC, last of his dynasty