Lady Folly blithely explains why it is better to be merry Bacchus (or Dionysius) than any of the more serious gods, including in her summary dismissal devious Jupiter (Greek Zeus), peevish Pan (Roman Faunus), or grimy Vulcan (Greek Hephaestus), sweating it out in his forge.  

From Erasmus’ timeless 500 year old classic in praise of folly, where she wittily praises herself to high heaven, arguing cogently that without her, humanity would be sunk and human life unbearable.

‘… or ash-covered Vulcan, forever grimy from his work in the smithy.’

 

Source: Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536), Praise of Folly, trans. Roger Clarke (Richmond: Oneworld Classics, 2008 (1511)), p. 20

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