Ancient Quote by Gore Vidal
“I would be literally patrician in the sense that the senators in ancient Rome were called conscript fathers, paters, from which comes the word patrician. So if you come from a senatorial family, you are literally patrician in that sense, but that doesn't mean that you couldn't be Billy Carter, you know, of recent memory.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New Yorker, 1975
The speaker explains that “patrician” originally meant a descendant of Roman senators, but the term can be used metaphorically for any privileged background.
In simple terms: Patrician originally meant Roman senator’s descendant, now used loosely for elite status.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the difference between literal and figurative usage.
Themes
history
language
social class
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
explanatory
contextual
When to use this quote
- academic writing
- political commentary
- social analysis
Key Concepts
etymology
class identity
metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- How does using “patrician” affect perception of class?
- When is it appropriate to use historical terms metaphorically?
A Different Perspective
The term may be over‑applied, obscuring real socioeconomic differences.
