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Words on the pillars on the bridge near Merchant City??

PostPosted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 10:19 am
by DeeDee
Hi,
Am a newbie so sorry if I am posting this in the wrong place!

Just wondered....does anybody know what the inscription on the stone pillars near the bridge over the Clyde near the Merchant City reads?

Thanks,
DD

Re: Words on the pillars on the bridge near Merchant City??

PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:50 am
by DeeDee
Bump!

Anyone? thanks :)

Re: Words on the pillars on the bridge near Merchant City??

PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:29 pm
by Blueboy
Hi DeeDee,

Do you mean Albert Bridge (bottom of Saltmarket) or Victoria Bridge? (bottom of Stockwell Street).
You could try looking <here>.
Cheers,
BB

Re: Words on the pillars on the bridge near Merchant City??

PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:42 pm
by crusty_bint
I think deedee means the old bridge piers for the first Central Station viaduct?

If so then the inscriptions in English and Greek read

ALL GREATNESS
STANDS FIRM IN
THE STORM

The English translation is a rewording, after Heidegger, of a line from the sixth book of Plato's 'Republic'. It has been suggested that a more accurate translation of the Greek would be 'all great things are precarious'.

Re: Words on the pillars on the bridge near Merchant City??

PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:13 pm
by spokes
It's a piece by Ian Hamilton Finlay. Apparently part of the 1990 TWSA Four Cities project (according to this), but I couldn't find any more information about what the Four Cities project was, except that it was a public art initiative and that the four cities were Derry, Newcastle, Glasgow and Portsmouth. Any ideas?

Re: Words on the pillars on the bridge near Merchant City??

PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 2:55 am
by DeeDee
Thanks sooo much you made my day :D :D

Re: Words on the pillars on the bridge near Merchant City??

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:32 pm
by mickey
At last some info on those words, they are there is english but as with others i have tried to source its origin but didnt get very far. thanks ::):