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"Shooting the messenger" or "killing the messenger" is a metaphoric phrase used to describe the act of lashing out at the (blameless) bearer of bad news. Until the advent of modern telecommunications, messages were usually delivered by a human envoy. For example, in a war, the messenger was sent from the enemy camp. An easily provoked combatant receiving such an overture could more easily vent anger (or otherwise retaliate) on the deliverer of the unpopular message than on its author. "Attacking the messenger" is a subdivision of the ad hominem logical fallacy.〔J. Rothwell, (In Mixed Company: Communicating in Small Groups ). 2015. Page 421〕 ==Origins of the concept== Plutarch's ''Lives states'': "The first messenger, that gave notice of Lucullus' coming was so far from pleasing Tigranes that, he had his head cut off for his pains; and no man dared to bring further information. Without any intelligence at all, Tigranes sat while war was already blazing around him, giving ear only to those who flattered him."〔Plutarch's ''Life of Lucullus'' (Dryden transl.), paragraph 25; a slightly different account (the messenger was hanged) is in Appian's ''Mithradatic Wars'', paragraph 84〕 The advice "Don't shoot the messenger" was expressed by Shakespeare in ''Henry IV, Part 2'' (1598)〔Act I, scene 1, lines 95-103; "Thou shakest thy head and hold'st it fear or sin to speak a truth. ... Yet the first bringer of unwelcome news hath but a losing office, and his tongue sounds ever after as a sullen bell, remember'd tolling a departed friend."〕 and in ''Antony and Cleopatra'': when told Antony has married another, Cleopatra threatens to treat the messenger's eyes as balls, eliciting the response "Gracious madam, I that do bring the news made not the match."〔II, 5; cf. I, 2 : "The nature of bad news infects the teller."〕 Prior to that, a related sentiment was expressed in ''Antigone'' by Sophocles as "no one loves the messenger who brings bad news" or "no man delights in the bearer of bad news" ().〔 At the Perseus Project.〕 An analogy of the phrase can come from the breaching of an unwritten code of conduct in war, in which a commanding officer was expected to receive and send back emissaries or diplomatic envoys sent by the enemy unharmed. During the early Warring States period of China, the concept of chivalry and virtue prevented the executions of messengers sent by opposing sides. The term also applied to a town crier, an officer of the court who made public pronouncements in the name of the ruling monarch. This often included bad news, such as tax increases. Harming a town crier was considered to be treason. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Shooting the messenger」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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