Berlusconi breaks into Latin on Gaddafi’s death
October 21st, 2011 - 12:19 pm ICT by IANSRome, Oct 21 (IANS/AKI) After hearing about the death of his former friend Muammar Gaddafi, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi used a Latin phrase to say that everything is transitory.
“Sic transit gloria mundi”, or “So the glory of this world passes away”, said Berlusconi, according to Italian news reports, adding that “the war is over”.
The Libyan dictator was killed after being captured in Sirte, his hometown that fell to transitional government troops who have been fighting Gaddafi’s soldiers for eight months.
Berlusconi had formed a close relationship with Gaddafi, even inviting him as a guest to the G8 meeting of industrialised nations in 2009 in Aquila, Italy.
Berlusconi was at pains to participate in military strikes against the man whose hand he kissed during a visit during a 2010 Arab league Summit in Libya.
Gaddafi described Berlusconi as a traitor after NATO started bombing Libyan targets in March.
–IANS/AKI
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