# Slice Open a Dove and Read it's Spleen. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 22, 2000, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040 "2000-03-22T15:59:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mega\_the\_roo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mega\_the\_roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mega_the_roo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/1 "2000-03-22T15:59:00Z")
some weirdo e-mailed me saying that i was good friends with his friend’s girlfriend in elementary, and if that wasn’t enough information to figure out who he’s talking about, to slice open a dove and read it’s spleen. what the hell does that mean? * * * if wishes were fishes, we could walk on the ocean. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/2 "2000-03-22T16:01:00Z")
I dunno, but I’m cutting up one of them pigeons as we speak, just to find out. * * * **Coldfire** _Voted **Poster Most Likely To Post Drunk** _ * * * _ **"You know how complex women are"** _ - Neil Peart, **Rush** (1993) ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/3 "2000-03-22T16:01:00Z")
Some kind of wierd inside joke that you were not a party to? Maybe it’s someone who knows you really well and is just attempting to be clever? ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/4 "2000-03-22T16:26:00Z")
I think that the overall reference, of sacrificing a bird in order to gain insight, is about “haruspication”, or more precisely, “the ancient art of investigating the entrails of birds in order to see what the future holds”, according to [Jerry Huckaby’s–Literary Lesson](http://www.coastnews.com/huck1002.htm). In other words, “reading the entrails”. I agree with SwimmingRiddles that it probably was meant as an inside reference, although saying something like “look at the stars for knowledge” would have conveyed the same sort of allusion to ancient oracles, without being quite so graphic. ---
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/5 "2000-03-22T16:32:00Z")
This is absurd. Everyone knows that the only reliable way to fortell the future is through the color, direction and frequency of lightning strikes. Sheesh – have we forgotten everything the Etruscans taught us? * * * - The best lack all conviction The worst are full of passionate intensity. \* ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/6 "2000-03-22T16:32:00Z")
The Greeks and Romans were really big on this. It was standard practice to cut open a pigeon or othe small bird and examine the entrails. Sort of an old-fashioned horoscope. The reference to “spleen” isn’t exactly true. The Greek word “thumos” is often translated as “spleen”, which isn’t really what they meant back 2000 years ago when they used the word. They believed there was an organ in one’s trunk that was the center of a person’s thoughts - ie, a sort of a mind/soul combination. This was the “thumos.” As this organ doesn’t really exist, it often gets translated as “spleen.” * * * Athena - puttin’ that useless Greek/Latin degree to work ---
**Author:** ![Globe-trotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cab0a1/32.png) [@Globe-trotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Globe-trotter)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/7 "2000-03-22T16:33:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Coldfire: > I dunno, but I’m cutting up one of them pigeons as we speak, just to find out. Well? * * * “I thought: opera, how hard can it be? Songs. Pretty girls dancing. Nice scenery. Lots of people handing over cash. Got to be better than the cut-throat world of yoghurt, I thought.” - Seldom Bucket ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/8 "2000-03-22T16:51:00Z")
Boy, what a stench! Nest time I’ll pick a pigeon that didn’t take a two week nap in the gutter before I cut it up. Anyway Moosie, it says: “Beware of Canadian Women, for they shall…”. I can’t make out the rest of it since it’s rotten away. What do you think it’s trying to tell me? * * * **Coldfire** _Voted **Poster Most Likely To Post Drunk** _ * * * _ **"You know how complex women are"** _ - Neil Peart, **Rush** (1993) ---
**Author:** ![jazzmine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jazzmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jazzmine)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/9 "2000-03-22T16:59:00Z")
You know, Coldfire, you used to irritate me ;), but I gotta say you get funnier and funnier. _kisses_ trisha ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/10 "2000-03-22T17:03:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by jazzmine: > **You know, Coldfire, you used to irritate me ;), but I gotta say you get funnier and funnier. _kisses_** Thanks, I guess… However: I used to irritate you? But… _how_? I’m such an innocent little lad! (Oh, and sorry mega, for using your thread space inappropriately. I still think about you every morning though 😉 ) * * * **Coldfire** _Voted **Poster Most Likely To Post Drunk** _ * * * _ **"You know how complex women are"** _ - Neil Peart, **Rush** (1993) ---
**Author:** ![CanadianSue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@CanadianSue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanadianSue)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/11 "2000-03-22T17:12:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Coldfire: > \*\* I’m such an innocent little lad! > > \*\* Lordy, lordy what the hell did you sniff from inside that bird. Innocent? Puleeeez * * * We are, each of us angels with only one wing,and we can only fly by embracing one another ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/12 "2000-03-22T19:39:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Athena’s sig: > **---------------- > Athena - puttin’ that useless Greek/Latin degree to work** 100% off-topic question for you, Athena… I need help with Latin. Ok, we all know “cogito ergo sum” means “I think, therefore I am” more or less. ## How in Latin would you say “I don’t think much, therefore I might not be”? ## There are no dangerous weapons, Only dangerous men. Joe Cool ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/13 "2000-03-22T19:45:00Z")
The only thing I remember from two years in Latin class: Semper ubi sub ubi. And that’s not even good grammer! ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/14 "2000-03-22T19:51:00Z")
And here I thought there were disgusting things in my ice cream bar. So what did you do to your friend’s girlfriend’s friend? Oh wait! We’ve discovered the original FOF ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/15 "2000-03-22T21:16:00Z")
> [@](#): > > How in Latin would you say “I don’t think much, therefore I might not be”? “Non multum cogito, ergo non essem.” ---
**Author:** ![Sylence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Sylence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylence)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/16 "2000-03-22T22:01:00Z")
“Made in Taiwan.” – Sylence * * * “Excuse me, are you reading Torah and eating crayons?” ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/17 "2000-03-22T23:09:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Fretful Porpentine: > \*\* “Non multum cogito, ergo non essem.”\*\* Thanks so much. You rule. That’s probably going to be my new sig line. * * * ## There are no dangerous weapons, Only dangerous men. Joe Cool ---
**Author:** ![mega\_the\_roo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mega\_the\_roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mega_the_roo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2000, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/18 "2000-03-22T23:30:00Z")
okay, so i found out who these people are. yay for me. * * * if wishes were fishes, we could walk on the ocean. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2000, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/19 "2000-03-23T00:43:00Z")
Did you find out by successfully reading the dove’s spleen, or through some other means? ---
**Author:** ![mega\_the\_roo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mega\_the\_roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mega_the_roo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2000, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slice-open-a-dove-and-read-its-spleen/15040/20 "2000-03-23T00:46:00Z")
after the ninth dove or so, and still no answer, i decided to just read the e-mail that was sent to me, explaining it all. i know. i’m such a lazy girl. * * * if wishes were fishes, we could walk on the ocean.