Pouring Oil on Troubled Waters

There has been much discussion as to the origin of the old expression "Like pouring oil on troubled waters," and it has been traced back as far as Pliny (A. D. 23-79), who speaks in his "Natural History" of the good results of pouring oil on a stormy sea. Another interesting account of the phenomenon is noted in Bede's "Ecclesiastical History" (Book 3, Chapter 15), written in Latin more than eleven centuries ago. He says:

"A priest called Vita (Utta) was sent into Kent to fetch Eauflede, King Edwin's daughter, who was to be married to King Oswirra. He was to go by land, but to return by water. Before he departed Utta visited the Bishop and besought his prayers for a prosperous journey. The Bishop blessed him, but predicted for his return a great tempest that should rise suddenly, and gave him a pot of oil, saying: "Remember that you cast into the sea the oyle that I give you, and anon, the winds being laied, comfortable fayer weather shall ensue on the sea, which shall send you again with as pleasant a passage as you have wished.' The tempest came as predicted, the sailors essayed to cast 'ancer' in vain, the water began to fill the ship, and nothing but present death was looked for. Then came the thought of the Bishop's pot of oil. Taking it into his hand, the priest cast the oil into the sea, when, as if by magic, it became quiet and calm."

In later times it is recorded that Professor Horsford, by emptying a vial of oil upon the sea in a stiff breeze, stilled its surface; and Commodore Wilkes, of the United States Navy, saw the same effect produced in a violent storm off the Cape of Good Hope, by oil leaking from a whale-ship. Figuratively, "oil upon troubled waters" is equivalent to a "soft answer turneth away wrath."