To what extent does the datum change as it spreads? On the trail of a quotation branded by Apple, attributed to Leonardo (thanks to Campari) and then found in a novel of the 1930s.
A Latin adage that is still sometimes cited is “verba volant, scripta manent”, which is generally used to highlight how much easier it is to forget, or counterfeit, an oral message than a written message. The origin of the Latin phrase was instead a prudent and pragmatic invitation not to write everything that may come to mind, or at least not to write anything compromising, an invitation that unfortunately is not widely listened to today: one of the lessons I have learned[…]
