Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the series' running joke about outsiders: the big Gaul is baffled by anyone who does not live like his village, and the Romans, who keep losing to him, are the easiest target. Translators love it; the Italian version, "Sono pazzi questi Romani", shortens to the letters SPQR, Rome's own motto. Fans quote it for any behaviour that seems mad, and the swapped-in nationality is half the joke.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for AsterixShow the scene
Obelix is the menhir-delivering, boar-hunting best friend of Asterix in the Gaulish village that keeps resisting the Roman occupation. The line is his trademark reaction rather than one scene: in French it is "Ils sont fous, ces Romains", and he says it whenever the Romans do something he cannot make sense of, tapping his forehead as he does. He also turns it on nearly every other people the two friends meet on their travels, with versions such as "These Britons are crazy" and "These Corsicans are crazy". The English translation by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge keeps the phrase.
Sources (2)
- Wikipedia: ObelixLead and Obelix's trademark phraseReference checked
- Asterix Wiki: ObelixCharacter sectionReference checked
Context reviewed