{"id":1976,"date":"2025-12-19T21:38:39","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T13:38:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/handelbarweb.com\/blog\/?p=1976"},"modified":"2026-03-19T18:26:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T10:26:44","slug":"hello-caractacus-in-python","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/handelbarweb.com\/blog\/hello-caractacus-in-python\/","title":{"rendered":"Hello Caractacus \u2014 in Python"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Baroque-style
Interpreter of Syntax and Satire: A Pythonic ode to lyrical recursion.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nLyrical Code Parody<\/span>\n
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\n A playful mashup of Python parody and lyrical code, where satire meets syntax. With snake_case verses, enchanted interpreters, and powdered recursion, it\u2019s Monty Python meets Stack Overflow\u2014absurd, musical, and delightfully nerdy.\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What is a start?<\/strong> In programming, it\u2019s often \u201cHello World\u201d \u2014 a sterile handshake with the machine. But what if the start is theatrical, recursive, and absurdly lyrical? What if we begin not with a greeting, but with a procession?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sketch is a Python rendition of The Court of King Caractacus<\/em>, a song famous for its escalating, looping structure. The code doesn\u2019t just print \u2014 it performs. Each verse builds on the last, layering fragments of absurdity until the whole thing collapses into a punchline: \u201cwell it\u2019s too late! coz they\u2019ve just passed by!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The structure is modular, expressive, and deliberately inefficient \u2014 a celebration of recursion, repetition, and the joy of watching logic spiral into nonsense. The jot<\/code> and jotln<\/code> functions act like stage directions, controlling the rhythm of the output. The lyrics<\/code> array is a stack of motifs, each one stitched into the next like a poetic daisy chain. And the COMMANDS<\/code> list? A nod to audience participation \u2014 because recursion is better when shouted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn\u2019t just code \u2014 it\u2019s a ritual. A way to say: I\u2019ve moved on from Hello World. I now greet the world with witches, britches, and powdered noses. I now start with Caractacus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TITLE = "the court of king caracticus by rolf harris"\n\nlyrics = [\n    "the ladies of the harem of the court of king caractacus ",\n    "the noses on the faces of ",\n    "the boys who put the powder on ",\n    "the fascinating witches who put the scintillating stiches in the britches of ",\n]\nBEGINNINGS = [\n    "now ",\n    "if you want to take a picture of "\n]\nENDINGS = [\n    "were just passing by.",\n    "well it's too late! coz they've just passed by!"\n]\nCOMMANDS = [\n    "[all together]"\n]\n\ndef jot(s):\n    print(s, end='')\n\ndef jotln(s):\n    print(s)\n\ndef main():\n    jotln(TITLE)\n    # for each verse\n    for i in range(4):\n        # repeat four times\n        for j in range(4):\n            if j == 1:\n                jotln(COMMANDS[0])\n            jot(BEGINNINGS[0])  # "now "\n            # join the appropriate bits together\n            for k in range(i, -1, -1):\n                jot(lyrics[k])\n            jotln(ENDINGS[0])  # "were just passing by."\n        jotln("")  # blank line\n    # photo opportunity\n    for i in range(2):\n        jot(BEGINNINGS[i])\n    # the longest line\n    for k in range(3, -1, -1):\n        jot(lyrics[k])\n    jotln(ENDINGS[1])  # "well it's too late! coz they've just passed by!"\n\nif __name__ == '__main__':\n    main()\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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