Dead Parrot Lifted From Ancient Greeks

Students of history and pretty much anybody who has The History Channel in their cable package knows that the ancient Greeks were a highly advanced people.  They created many of the tools and modern innovations that we take for granted.   A large number of the Greeks’ technological advances disappeared during the Dark Ages, only to be rediscovered centuries later.

Just a few things on the list of Greek discoveries: cranes, plumbing, crossbows, central heating and now… Monty Python’s classic Dead Parrot sketch.

Apparently a 4th century AD joke book has been uncovered by people who spend their time doing such things.  In the book, there is a joke in which a man complains that a slave he has just bought has died.  “By the gods,” answers the slave’s seller, “when he was with me, he never did any such thing!”

Ok, so it not a Parrot joke.  But it is kind of cool that 1600 years of human history don’t change humor very much.  Also found in the book were jokes about farts, stupid people, and Henny Youngman’s wife.