English Translations: Anthea Bell & Derek Hockridge
American Translations: Robert Steven Caron
Copyright © 1968 Goscinny & Uderzo
Abstract
Asterix & Obelix, accompanied by their fellow villagers, travel to Greece to compete at the famous Olympic Games. There they must overcome the might of the Roman and Greek athletes to come out on top...
Table 12.1. Asterix at the Olympic Games - Annotations
| Page, Panel | Comment |
|---|---|
| Page 1, Panel 2 |
(American) Semper Fidelis: Always faithful, Marine corps motto. E pluribus
unum: United we stand.
(English) A reference to the famous Liverpool soccer anthem "You'll never walk alone" ??? |
| Page 1, Panel 2 | (American) A plebe belongs to the lowest Roman social class |
| Page 5, Panel 4 | All-in wrestling = A combat event that was part of the ancient Olympic games. A combination of wrestling and boxing. |
| Page 7, Panel 6 | Hecatombeon = The month when the Olympic games were held. The period between July 16 and August 13. |
| Page 11, Panel 1 | Et nunc, reges intelligite... erudimini qui judicatis terram = And now, kings, please understand... [or: understand the kings, depending on whom the speaker is addressing] Learn [literally: be taught], you who judge the earth. |
| Page 17, Panel 6 | "When Father Papered..." = A parody of "When Father Papered the Parlour" by R.R. Weston |
| Page 18, Panel 7 | Obolos = Ancient unit of money. 1 drachme = 6 oboles. |
| Page 19, Panel 5 | Acropolis = From the Greek word "Acropole" meaning "high city". The Acropolis was the fortified center of Greek city-states. Athens is the best known Acropole. |
| Page 22, panel 7 | (English) In some countries one can return used bottles for a small refund of money. |
| Page 22, panel 8 | (English) "that delicious veal" = see Asterix and the Banquet |
| Page 23, panel 7 | (English) Is Geriatrix 93?? |
| Page 24, panel 5 | Heracles was the Greek name for the Roman demi-god Hercules. |
| Page 25, Panel 10 | The caption on the left says GOSCINNY and the one on the right says UDERZO, and that's them in the drawings. The upper carvings say DESPOTES and TYRANNOS, which mean "despot" and "tyrant" |
| Page 27, Panel 3 | "There is a Taberna..." = Reference to popular British song "There is a Tavern in town" by F. J. Adams circa 1891. |
| Page 27, Panel 4 | "A-Roming..." = An English folk song - "A-roaming, a-roaming, 'cause roaming's been my ru-in, I'll go no more a-rowing with you, fair maid." |
| Page 30, Panel 8 | (English) Socci = Soccer?
(alt.) Socus = plowshare. Given the context it probably means "pull your socks up" (Glen Koorey). Socci are light shoes in use among the Greeks (Matt Badley) |
| Page 30, Panel 10 | Discoboli: discus throwers |
| Page 31, Panel 7 | This is an anachronism. People who lived in BC did not know it and certainly did not reckon dates that way. |
| Page 34, Panel 7 | The Colossus of Rhodes was an incredibly huge statue that straddled the entrance to their harbor. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world. |
| Page 36, Panel 9 | Mens sana in corpore sano = sound mind in a sound body (Juvenal, 60-130 AD, Satires x.356 ) |
| Page 37, Panel 3 | Hellanodikai = Organizers of the Olympic games. Between two and twelve in number. |
| Page 39, Panel 6 | Quo vadis = "Where are you going?" |
| Page 40, Panel 8 | Even the rooster is Greek. |
| Page 43, Panel 6 | Quid = what? Quomodo = how? |
Table 12.2. Asterix at the Olympic Games - Names in English Edition
Table 12.3. Asterix at the Olympic Games - Names in American Edition