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Monday, January 30, 2012

Question 1344: Enough tango for the cash


Initially, this place X was inhabited by a tribe, Ilvati, who were originally from the north western region of Italy. Thus it was called Ilva. Famous for its abundant mines and iron deposits, the Greeks referred to it as Aethalia, which literally meant fumes after fumes of the furnaces for metal production.

After a series of invasions and barbarian raids, it came into possession of Pisa and after changing hands among the Italians and Spaniards it finally fell into French hands in 1802. Since then, X is particularly famous as the place where Y lived temporarily. During Y's stay, he was responsible for economic and social reforms which led to a better standard of living.

The connection between X and Y is also the subject of a certain well known wordplay.

Identify X and Y.

Answer: X: Elba Y: Napoleon and the palindrome "Able was I ere I saw Elba".

12 comments:

  1. elba(obvious?) Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte

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  2. (sic)The Island Elba, best known for its connection to Napolean, who was sent there to begin his exile after the treaty of fountainebleau. His stay there is the basis for the famous palindrome 'Able was I ere I saw Elba'.

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  3. X = Elba
    Y = Napoleon

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  4. X-the place is ELBA
    y=Napoleon Bonaparte

    the wordplay is the famous palindroimic sentence

    ABLE WAS I ERE I SAW ELBA

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  5. X- ELBA
    Y- NAPOLEAN

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  6. X: Elba
    Y: Napolean,
    wordplay: able was i ere i saw elba

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  7. Isola d'elba...the place wer napolean bonaparte was exiled to

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  8. elba..napolean stayed here..
    "Able was I ere I saw Elba"

    ReplyDelete