Babbage
Original: Babbage on Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Transcript
Panel 1 (narration): After Charles Babbage received several rounds of heavy funding for his "Difference Engine," he had still completed very little.
(Image: Babbage sits frowning beside tall stacks of gold coins.)
Panel 2 (narration): After going over budget and over time, he wrote letters to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for more money, and was eventually denied.
(Image: Babbage in profile, writing with a quill.)
Panel 3 (narration): Years later, Babbage was still angry, and in his memoirs compared his foe to an ancient arsonist who burned down a wonder of the world.
Babbage (quoted text): "The Herostratus of science, if he escapes oblivion, will be linked with the destroyer of the Ephesian temple."
(Image: An angry Babbage seated at a desk with papers.)
Panel 4 (narration): I've found if you change the word "science" this phrase works in almost any situation where you want something and are told no.
Man (off-panel/pointing): The Herostratus of tacos, if she escapes oblivion—
Woman with glasses (shouting): STOP! I'M NOT SHARING MY LUNCH WITH YOU!
(Image: A red-haired man points accusingly at a brown-haired woman wearing glasses, against a yellow background.)
Votey:
Woman with glasses: You Herostratus of not liking me talking about Herostratus all the time.
(Image: A close-up line drawing of the woman's annoyed/grimacing face.)
(Image: Babbage sits frowning beside tall stacks of gold coins.)
Panel 2 (narration): After going over budget and over time, he wrote letters to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for more money, and was eventually denied.
(Image: Babbage in profile, writing with a quill.)
Panel 3 (narration): Years later, Babbage was still angry, and in his memoirs compared his foe to an ancient arsonist who burned down a wonder of the world.
Babbage (quoted text): "The Herostratus of science, if he escapes oblivion, will be linked with the destroyer of the Ephesian temple."
(Image: An angry Babbage seated at a desk with papers.)
Panel 4 (narration): I've found if you change the word "science" this phrase works in almost any situation where you want something and are told no.
Man (off-panel/pointing): The Herostratus of tacos, if she escapes oblivion—
Woman with glasses (shouting): STOP! I'M NOT SHARING MY LUNCH WITH YOU!
(Image: A red-haired man points accusingly at a brown-haired woman wearing glasses, against a yellow background.)
Votey:
Woman with glasses: You Herostratus of not liking me talking about Herostratus all the time.
(Image: A close-up line drawing of the woman's annoyed/grimacing face.)
Alt text
A four-panel SMBC comic about Charles Babbage. Panel 1: Babbage sits frowning beside tall stacks of gold coins; caption says that after receiving several rounds of heavy funding for his "Difference Engine," he had still completed very little. Panel 2: Babbage writes with a quill in profile; caption says he went over budget and over time, wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for more money, and was eventually denied. Panel 3: An angry Babbage sits at a desk; caption says that years later he compared his foe to an ancient arsonist who burned a wonder of the world, quoting his memoir: "The Herostratus of science, if he escapes oblivion, will be linked with the destroyer of the Ephesian temple." Panel 4: A red-haired man points at a brown-haired woman in glasses against a yellow background, narrating that swapping the word "science" makes the insult work anywhere you're told no: "The Herostratus of tacos, if she escapes oblivion—" The woman shouts back, "STOP! I'M NOT SHARING MY LUNCH WITH YOU!" Votey (bonus panel): a close-up of the annoyed woman's face as she retorts, "You Herostratus of not liking me talking about Herostratus all the time."
Transcribed by Claude Opus 4.8.