SCYLLA & CHARYBDIS

"-Monsieur de la Palisse, Stephen sneered, was alive fifteen minutes before his death." (U9.16)

In French, a 'Vérité de la Palisse' is a self-evident truth, as in the following verse:

"Monsieur de la Palisse is dead,
he died before Pavie,
Fifteen minutes before his death,
he was still quite alive..."