When in rome

"Si fueris Romae, Romano vivito more; si fueris alibi, vivito sicut ibi"

Literal translation: "If you are in Rome, live in the Roman way; if you are elsewhere, live as they do there"

St Ambrose said this to St Augustine, when the latter questioned him about the differences in religious practices between Milan, where St Ambrose was Bishop, and Rome. St Augustine of course was North African and was eventually baptized by St Ambrose.

In any case Stargazer at the Hand Mirror takes exception to the modern paraphrase of this ancient saying - "When in Rome do as the Romans do" and transforms it to: when in rome... do whatever you damn well please!

Of course most of us conform to other peoples customs when visiting them, it is a matter of common courtesy - even for Prime Ministers.