Publius Annæus Constantinus Placidus omnibus civibus SPD.

I hereby announce my candidacy for the office of Aedilis Curulis. I am 39 years old, a Nova Roman Assiduus citizen since 2006, and my cursus honorum so far is as follows:

• I was appointed Interpreter for Italian language in late 2006.
• I have served as Aedilis Plebis twice, in 2006 and 2008.
• I am currently a Quaestor assigned to Praetor Q. Memmus Albucius, as well as a a Scriba for Censor Modianus. 

Optime valete omnes,
P. Ann. Con. Placidus

Cato Maiori sal.

Salve.

The auspices were taken. The gods gave Their approval to the Senate session.

The Senate was convened, and voted; the Item regarding a gag rule on the Senate was defeated.

Both Piscinus and Modianus voted on the losing side.

Piscinus and Modianus are the *only* members of the College of Augurs.

Suddenly after the vote, the College of Augurs is convened:

"...to consider whether the Senate has been convened inauspiciously during the month of October 2762 AUC. Contingent on this first issue is then whether a viatium has negated the session and therefore whether the decisions of the Senate during this session should be voided."

The Senate of ancient Rome never recorded a single instance were the session was voided after the fact because of a mistake made in the taking of the auspices. I say that Piscinus and Modianus are using their sacred offices to political ends, unjustified by fact or history.

If a mistake was made in the auspices, it is the responsibility of the *individual who made the mistake* to offer a piaculum on his *own* behalf, not to declare that the entire Senate is in the wrong.


As for your own reputation, I have challenged you and Regulus no less than SEVEN TIMES in the past few months to back up a single deliberate mistruth you have spoken about me, with your reward - something you both clamor for as the best possible thing that could happen to Nova Roma - being my resignation FOREVER from the Respublica. You have been unable to do so, because the claims you make are simply false.

Vale,

Cato

Maior Quiritibus spd;
I support and encourage the quirites to support the candidacy of P. Annaeus Constantinus Placidus, he is devoted to Nova Roma and a very hard working questor and that is a job that requires dedication.

Please support him; I know he will put on wonderful games and please the gods!
bene valete in pacem deorum
M. Hortensia Maior

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "ugo21121970" <ugo.coppola@...> wrote:
>
> Publius Annæus Constantinus Placidus omnibus civibus SPD.
>
> I hereby announce my candidacy for the office of Aedilis Curulis. I am
> 39 years old, a Nova Roman Assiduus citizen since 2006, and my cursus
> honorum so far is as follows:
>
>
> * I was appointed Interpreter for Italian language in late 2006.
> * I have served as Aedilis Plebis twice, in 2006 and 2008.
> * I am currently a Quaestor assigned to Praetor Q. Memmus Albucius,
> as well as a a Scriba for Censor Modianus.
> Optime valete omnes,
> P. Ann. Con. Placidus
>

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Salvete omnes!

Hodie est ante diem VII Kalendas Novembris; hic dies fastus est.


"Amongst the troop commanders, who had been sent out everywhere to
reconnoitre, there happened to be T. Manlius, the consul's son. He had
ridden out with his men by the enemy's camp and was hardly a
stone's-throw from their nearest post, where the Tusculan cavalry were
stationed, when Geminus Maecius, who was in command, a man of high
reputation amongst his own people, recognised the Roman cavalry and
the consul's son at their head, for they were all-especially the men
of distinction-known to each other. Accosting Manlius he said: "Are
you going to conduct the war against the Latins and their allies with
that single troop of yours? What will the consuls, what will their two
armies be doing in the meantime?" "They will be here in good time,
Manlius replied, "and so will Jupiter, the Great and Powerful, the
witness of your breach of faith. If we fought at Lake Regillus till
you had quite enough, certainly we shall succeed here also in
preventing you from finding too much pleasure in meeting us in
battle." In reply, Geminus rode forward a short distance and said:
"Are you willing, before the day comes when you are to set your armies
in motion for so great an effort, to have a meeting with me that the
result of our single combat may show how much a Latin horseman is
superior to a Roman?" Either urged on by anger or feeling ashamed to
decline the contest, or dragged on by the irresistible power of
destiny, the high-spirited youth forgot the consul's edict and the
obedience due to a father and rushed headlong into a contest in which
victory or defeat were alike fatal. The rest of the cavalry retired to
remain spectators of the fray; the two combatants selected a clear
space over which they charged each other at full gallop with levelled
spears. Manlius' lance passed above his adversary's helmet, Maecius'
across the neck of the other's horse. They wheeled their horses round,
and Manlius standing in his stirrups [moderator's note: the last I heard, the Romans did not have stirrups; the first use thereof of which I am aware was by the winning side at the Battle of Hastings] was the first to get in a second stroke; he thrust his lance between the horse's ears. Feeling the wound the horse reared, shook its head violently, and threw its rider off. Whilst he was trying to rise after his heavy fall by supporting
himself with his lance and shield, Manlius drove his lance right
through his body and pinned him to the earth. After despoiling the
body he returned to his men, and amidst their exulting shouts entered
the camp and went straight to his father at the headquarters' tent,
not in the least realising the nature of his deed or its possible
consequences, whether praise or punishment. "That all may say, my
father," he said, "that I am a true scion of your blood, I bring to
you these equestrian spoils taken from a dead enemy who challenged me
to single combat." On hearing this the consul turned away from his son
and ordered the trumpet to sound the Assembly.

The soldiers mustered in large numbers and the consul began: "Since
you, T. Manlius, have shown no regard for either the authority of a
consul or the obedience due to a father, and in defiance of our edict
have left your post to fight against the enemy, and have done your
best to destroy the military discipline through which the Roman State
has stood till now unshaken, and have forced upon me the necessity of
forgetting either my duty to the republic or my duty to myself and my
children, it is better that we should suffer the consequences of our
offence ourselves than that the State should expiate our crime by
inflicting great injury upon itself. We shall be a melancholy example,
but one that will be profitable to the young men of the future. My
natural love of my children and that proof of courage which from a
false sense of honour you have given, move me to take your part, but
since either the consuls authority must be vindicated by your death or
for ever abrogated by letting you go unpunished, I would believe that
even you yourself, if there is a drop of my blood in your veins, will
not shrink from restoring by your punishment the military discipline
which has been weakened by your misconduct. Go, lictor, bind him to
the stake." All were paralysed by such a ruthless order; they felt as
if the axe was directed against each of them; fear rather than
discipline keep them motionless. For some moments they stood
transfixed in silence, then suddenly, when they saw the blood pouring
from his severed neck, their voices rose in unrestrained and angry
complaint; they spared neither laments nor curses. The body of the
youth covered with his spoils was cremated on a pyre erected outside
the rampart, with all the funeral honours that the soldiers' devotion
could pay. "Manlian orders" were not only regarded with horror for the
time, but were looked upon as setting a frightful precedent for the
future." - Livy, History of Rome 8.7



"When day came Sekhmet the terrible came also, licking her lips at the
thought of the men whom she would slay. She found the place flooded
and no living creature in sight; but she saw the beer which was the
colour of blood, and she thought it was blood indeed -- the blood of
those whom she had slain. Then she laughed with joy, and her laughter
was like the roar of a lioness hungry for the kill. Thinking that it
was indeed blood, she stooped and drank. Again and yet again she
drank, laughing with delight; and the strength of the beer mounted to
her brain, so that she could no longer slay. At last she came reeling
back to where Ra was waiting; that day she had not killed even a
single man. Then Ra said: 'You come in peace, sweet one.' And her name
was changed to Hathor, and her nature was changed also to the
sweetness of love and the strength of desire. And henceforth Hathor
laid low men and women only with the great power of love. But for ever
after her priestesses drank in her honour of the beer of Heliopolis
coloured with the red ochre of Elephantine when they celebrated her
festival each New Year." - from "The Destruction of Mankind",
inscribed on the tomb of Tutankhamen


In ancient Egypt, today was held in honor of the goddess Hathor.
Hathor was a pre-Dynastic goddess who gained enormous popularity early
on. Her name is translated as "the House of Horus", which may be a
reference to her as the embodiment of the sky in her role of the
Celestial Cow, being that which surrounds the decidedly sky-oriented
hawk-deity, Horus, when he takes wing. If Horus was the god associated
with the living king, Hathor was the god associated with the living
queen. In earlier periods she was most often depicted as a full cow
with the sundisk between her horns or as a slender woman wearing the
horns-and-a-sundisk headdress (which may or may not have a uraeus upon
it). She was also shown as a hippopotamus, a falcon, a cobra, or a
lioness, however these were not as frequent as the woman or the cow.
While there are some depictions of Hathor as a woman with a cow's
head, this is mainly found only in the later periods.

Hathor's symbology included such items as sistra (a type of rattle),
the horns-and-sundisk headdress (in much later times incorporated into
the attire of Isis), the menat (a type of ritual necklace that may
have been used for percussive music), and mirrors. Many ancient
mirrors and sistra decorated with smiling, often nude Hathors on them
have been uncovered over the years, and Hathor's visage (with cow
ears) commonly appeared at the top of stone columns in Egyptian
temples, many of which can still be seen today. Her cult flourished in
Ta-Netjer ("Land of God" -- modern day Dendera) in Upper Egypt and her
priests included both men and women, many of whom were dancers,
singers, or musicians as the arts fell under Hathor's domain. Priests
of Hathor were also oracles and midwives, and people could go to some
temples of Hathor to have their dreams interpreted by her priests.
Hathor's protection was invoked over children and pregnant women.

Hathor, as the Eye of Ra, "becomes" Sakhmet in the story "The
Destruction of Mankind". Engraved into one of the shrines of
Tutankhamen's tomb, the story tells how Hathor, at the request of her
father (Ra), turns into Sakhmet in order to punish humans for
transgressing against him. When she nearly wipes out all of humanity,
Ra tries to stop her and, failing in that, contrives to get her drunk,
whereupon she immediately forgets what it was she was doing and goes
back to being Hathor. Hathor also appears as a minor character in "The
Contendings of Horus and Seth". Her father (Ra) falls into a black
mood so Hathor sets forth to cheer him up. Removing her clothing, she
dances around his throne until he smiles again.

An additional myth, sometimes called "The Distant Goddess", tells of
how Hathor became angry with Ra and wandered away from Egypt. Great
sadness falls over the land and Ra, lost without his Eye, decides to
fetch her back. However, Hathor has now become a deadly wild cat who
destroys all that approaches her, and so no man or god will volunteer
to go get her. Thoth eventually agrees to lure her back and, dressed
in disguise, manages to coax the angry goddess to return to Egypt by
telling her stories. Back in her homeland, she bathes in the Nile and
once again settles into her normally gentle demeanor, but not before
the waters turn red from the effort of cooling her rage. In some
versions of this story it is Tefnut, not Hathor, who wanders away from
Egypt, and Shu, not Thoth, who brings her back.

Hathor is associated with numerous other Egyptian goddesses. Her
connections with Bastet helped to "soften up" that deity's visage, and
as discussed previously Hathor was the other side of the Sakhmet coin.
Hathor also seems to have absorbed many of the properties of Bat
(another pre-Dynastic cow goddess), who is depicted at the top of the
famous Narmer palette overseeing the events detailed therein.

Hathor is also known as the "Lady to the Limit" ("limit" meaning the
edges of the known universe) and the "Lady of the West"; her image is
sometimes seen on funerary depiction as she stands behind Osiris,
welcoming the dead to their new home. Other titles of Hathor include
the "Divine (or Celestial) Cow", "Mistress of Heaven", and "Lady of
Gold", the last two of which were sometimes attributed to the queens
of ancient Egypt. Hathor was also known as the "Lady of Greenstone and
Malachite" due to her being regarded as a goddess of the desert
fringes where such mines existed.

The Greeks called Hathor by the name of their goddess, Aphrodite. In
the very late stages of Egyptian religion (over two millennia after
Hathor had first appeared) she became almost totally absorbed into
Isis (who acquired, aside from Hathor's headdress, the sistrum as
well), resulting in frequent mistaken identity between the two. There
are, however, subtle differences. When Isis is shown with the horns
she is also (usually) shown with either the vulture headdress (which
was associated with Mut, a goddess of Thebes), winged, or wearing a
multi-colored feathered dress. There are of course exceptions (such as
in the tomb of Horemheb), in which case knowledge of hieroglyphs is
necessary to discern which goddess is which.

At the temple of Nefertari at Abu Simbel, Nefertari is shown as Hathor
in many places, and Ramses II (the husband of Nefertari) is shown in
one sanctuary receiving milk from Hathor the cow. When a child was
born in Egypt, seven Hathors (somewhat like European fairy godmothers)
would appear to "speak with one mouth" and determine the child's fate.
Hathor's own child was Ihy, who was worshipped in Dendera with her and
Horus-Behdety. Like his mother, Ihy was a god of music and dancing,
and was always depicted as a child bearing a sistrum.

A thought from Plutarch:

"First, then, at the base of political activity there must be, as a firm and strong foundation, a choice of policy arising from judgement and reason, not from mere impulse due to empty opinion or contentiousness or lack of other activities. For just as those who have no useful occupation at home spend most of their time in the market-place, even if there is nothing they need there, just so some men, because they have no business of their own that is worth serious attention, throw themselves into public affairs, treating political activity as a pastime, and many who have become engaged in public affairs by chance and have had enough of them are no longer able to retire from them without difficulty; they are in the same predicament as persons who have gone aboard a vessel to be rocked a bit and then have been driven out into the open sea; they turn their gaze outside, seasick and much disturbed, but obliged to stay where they are and endure their present plight." - Moralia, "Precepts of Statecraft" 2


Valete bene!

Cato

Salvete,
 
Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat? - What forbids a laughing man from telling the truth? (Horace)
 
Valete,
 
Ti. Galerius Paulinus

Salve Publius Annæus Constantinus Placidus!

Salve Appius Galerius Aurelianus
!
As a patrician I can't vote for You, but I would be happy to see You
as a Plebeian Aedile.

***********

25 okt 2009 kl. 02.52 skrev galerius_of_rome:

Salvete,

I hereby announce my candidacy for the office of Plebeian Aediles.
I am a citizen in good standing,assidui, and meet all requirements.
I am 55 years old.

Valete,
Appius Galerius Aurelianus




*****************
Vale

Caeso Fabius Buteo Quintilianus

Princeps Senatus et Flamen Palatualis
Civis Romanus sum
http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Main_Page
************************************************
Aut inveniam viam aut faciam
"I'll either find a way or make one"
************************************************
Dignitas, Iustitia, Fidelitas et Pietas
Dignity, Justice, Loyalty and Dutifulness
************************************************
Mons Palatinus, Clivus Victoriae
Palatine Hill, Incline of Victoriae

Salve!

Salve L Iulius Regulus;

I should like to think that the "silent majority," who I hope feel as
do you, can take back the Republic.

It can be done by posting, following the sentiments of amity, dignity
and true, informative discussion as you express. They can also help
by bringing the everyday chitchat one would hear in a community
center, such as this is supposed to be.

They can also take back the Republic by not continuing to vote into
office those who have shown the lack of these...by reading our Laws
and demanding that the ones, which have been of lesser utility, or
even harm, be repealed...that our Constitution and the helpful Laws be
followed.

I have contributed to the lightless heat in the past, I shall not do so again.

=====================================
In amicitia et fide
Publius Ullerius Stephanus Venator
Civis circa Quintilis MMDCCLI a.u.c.

P. Corva Gaudialis L. Iulius Regulus sal.

The way I see it, there are two main obstacles to Nova Roma as a whole ever becoming a pleasant, useful group. They are:

1. NR is devoted to elective politics.
2. NR is devoted to recreating a religion.

Put these two interests together, and you wind up with the often poisonous situation we have. We spend so much time arguing back and forth over minutiae of religion and procedure, whether auguries were taken properly, whether such and so is or is not pleasing to the Gods--and, even worse, some of us presuming to say they _know_ what is pleasing or not.

To me, something is wrong when disagreement over the appropriateness of the item used for taking an auspice can throw an entire vote for a candidate into question, as happened last May. I thought that was ridiculous, and it made an already contentious situation even worse. We needed a decisive resolution to the problem, and questioning the auspicia--needlessly, I thought--prevented that.

I honestly think there needs to be a division between the politics side of it and the religious side of it. I think perhaps we can have one or the other, but not both--at least, not in the saame organization, if we want all of its interests to work harmoniously with each other.

But it can be rightly argued that religion and state politics were inextricably entwined in ancient Rome, so...I don't see much of a way out, if our members want to recreate in some small way the culture of ancient Rome. But I will tell you, it's frustrating, and it's not efficient.

Vale

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, Lucius Iulius Regulus <luciusjul25@...> wrote:
>
> Salve,
>
>     It has been quite some time since I made my presence here and thought it was time to break out of my hiding. I left Nova Roma months ago due to personal reasons and also the constant fighting between citizens, name calling, big egos, and quite frankly the few people that I did not take a liking. I can not and will not name names because I simply cant remember and chose to forget. What bothered me the most were the endless letters between citizens that claimed the other to be useless, stupid, liar, or any other poor choice of words that should be reserved for school children. Many tried to keep the ML clean and full of useful information for those who really wanted to be here for the education of what we seem to hold a deep interest in, which is all things Ancient Roman. Unfortunately, the negative emails seemed to take up most of the space and those of us who wanted to actually learn new things and be apart of something great were left
> with a bunch of people arguing. It should not be explained that arguing gets us nowhere, it gets us to the very beginning to when this community was first created. Of course, the easy argument would be, 'If you do not like it, then delete the message.' Which, in all fairness, may be true but guess what we are left with if we just delete the message......a problem that can not go away by just deleting the message.
>     We are just an online community that continues to hack each other and call each other names with no end result. I joined this community so that I can have great conversations with people who enjoy the same history and culture, not to see people attack each other. What started this whole battle of the egos? First, in my opinion, it was the creation of 'political positions' that turned this once great idea into just another online community. Second, the fact that the majority of us have never met. It is sad to see a community like ours that started out with great intentions turn into a place where people actually hate each other. What are we leaders of if we are elected to an office? The truth is absolutely nothing, I hate to say. All we are leaders of is a group of people who constantly bicker. We have no common place to interact and actually show leadership and passion for what we want to accomplish. We will continue to be just another
> online community who never reaches any of its goals that some of us actually want accomplished. A few may also think that this is just a game which also adds to the poison. I, as many citizens do, wish for a dream to become a reality. 
>     Many citizens have written a letter like this to address the problem in this community and hopefully change the tide but all it leads to is another person who expected a wonderful experience to leave this place behind. We cant continue to have citizens, especially great citizens, leave because they are tired of the poisonous relationships and egos that gather in this community. I appreciate the time that any of you have spent reading this message and hope that many of you agree. My intention here was not to offend any true citizen or the office that you may currently or formerly have held and if I have done so, then I sincerely apologize. I also dont want those who actually contributed positive information to this community to be forgotten and I applaud all you have done to better our community. 
>
> May the Gods keep you all!!!
> Lucius Iulius Regulus       
>

L. Livia Plauta P. Corvae Gaudiali S.P.D.

Excuse me, the two "obstacles" you mention are exactly the two factors that distinguish Nova Roma from any other cultural or free-time group, and also the two reasons people join us.

I can understand wanting to eliminate one of these factors, even if according to many people it's exactly the combination of the two that makes Nova Roma unique, but if you want to eliminate both of them you've eliminated Nova Roma.

Optime vale,
Livia

>
> P. Corva Gaudialis L. Iulius Regulus sal.
>
> The way I see it, there are two main obstacles to Nova Roma as a whole ever becoming a pleasant, useful group. They are:
>
> 1. NR is devoted to elective politics.
> 2. NR is devoted to recreating a religion.
>
> Put these two interests together, and you wind up with the often poisonous situation we have. We spend so much time arguing back and forth over minutiae of religion and procedure, whether auguries were taken properly, whether such and so is or is not pleasing to the Gods--and, even worse, some of us presuming to say they _know_ what is pleasing or not.
>
> To me, something is wrong when disagreement over the appropriateness of the item used for taking an auspice can throw an entire vote for a candidate into question, as happened last May. I thought that was ridiculous, and it made an already contentious situation even worse. We needed a decisive resolution to the problem, and questioning the auspicia--needlessly, I thought--prevented that.
>
> I honestly think there needs to be a division between the politics side of it and the religious side of it. I think perhaps we can have one or the other, but not both--at least, not in the saame organization, if we want all of its interests to work harmoniously with each other.
>
> But it can be rightly argued that religion and state politics were inextricably entwined in ancient Rome, so...I don't see much of a way out, if our members want to recreate in some small way the culture of ancient Rome. But I will tell you, it's frustrating, and it's not efficient.
>
> Vale
>
> --- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, Lucius Iulius Regulus <luciusjul25@> wrote:
> >
> > Salve,
> >
> > ��� It has been quite some time since I made my presence here and thought it was time to break out of my hiding. I left Nova Roma months ago due to personal reasons and also�the constant fighting between citizens, name calling, big egos, and quite frankly the few people that I did not take a liking. I can not and will not name names because I simply cant remember and chose to forget. What bothered me the most�were the�endless letters between citizens that claimed the other to be useless, stupid, liar, or any other poor choice of words that should be reserved for school children. Many tried to keep the ML clean and full of�useful information for those who�really wanted to be here for the education of what we seem to hold a deep interest in, which is all things Ancient Roman. Unfortunately, the�negative emails�seemed to take up most of the space and those of us who wanted to actually learn�new things and be apart of�something great were left
> > with a bunch of people�arguing. It should not be explained that arguing gets us nowhere, it gets us to the very beginning to when this community was first created.�Of course, the easy argument would be, 'If you do not like it, then delete the message.' Which, in all fairness,�may be true but guess what we are left with if we just delete the message......a problem that can not go away by�just deleting the message.
> > ��� We are just an online community that continues to�hack each other and call each other names with no end result. I joined this community so that I can have great conversations with�people who�enjoy the same history�and culture, not to see people attack each other.�What started this whole battle of the egos? First,�in my opinion, it was the creation of 'political positions' that turned this once great idea into just another online community. Second, the fact that the majority of us have never met. It is sad to see a community like ours that started out with great intentions turn into a place where people actually hate each other. What are we leaders of if we are elected to an office? The truth is absolutely nothing, I hate to say. All we are leaders of is a group of people who constantly bicker. We have no common place to interact and actually show leadership and passion for what we want to accomplish. We will continue to be just another
> > online community who�never�reaches any of its goals that some of us actually want accomplished. A few may also think that this is just a game which also adds to the�poison. I, as many citizens do, wish for a dream to become a reality.�
> > ��� Many citizens have written a letter like this to address the problem in this community and hopefully change the tide but all it�leads to is�another person who expected�a wonderful experience to leave�this place behind.�We cant continue to have citizens, especially great citizens, leave because they are tired of the�poisonous relationships and egos that gather�in this community. I appreciate the time that any of you have spent reading this message and hope that many of you agree. My intention here was not to offend any true�citizen or the office that you may currently or formerly have held�and if I have done so, then I sincerely apologize. I also�dont want those who actually contributed positive information to this community to be forgotten and I applaud all�you have done to better our community.�
> >
> > May the Gods�keep you all!!!
> > Lucius Iulius Regulus�������
> >
>

Salve, Venator   I'm glad to hear your father is doing better. He is my daily prayers to Vesta.   Vale bene in pace Deorum,   Maxima Valeria Messallina Sacerdos Vestalis   --- On Sat, 10/24/09, Publius Ullerius Stephanus Venator <famila.ulleria.venii@...> wrote: From: Publius Ullerius Stephanus Venator <famila.ulleria.venii@...> Subject: [Nova-Roma] Venator's Pater...reprise To: "NR-Main List" <Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com> Date: Saturday, October 24, 2009, 5:55 PM   Salvete Omnes; As some of you may have read, my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer a little over a month ago. It was diagnosed after treatment for a bout with pneumonia. This past week, my dad spent a few days in the hospital; a result of a bad interaction between the chemotherapy he was given last Friday and a medication, which he's been taking for an irregular heart rate. My mom fired the cardiologist and is pleased with his replacement, who was recommended by the oncologist, Dr Ochs. The new doctor consulted with Dr Ochs and the medications have been adjusted. Dad needed blood and fluids due to anemia and dehydration caused by the interaction, plus antibiotics for a secondary infection. My dad is home and doing well; the heart rate is down in the 70 - 80 range from the 160 - 170 range, mom said his breathing is good and he's got his color back again. She said he ate a big plate of one of his favorites for supper; mashed potatoes with hamburger gravy and a side of creamed corn. So, we had a scare, but he seems to be bouncing back. My mom will let him know that you all are thinking of him; she's so pleased and surprised I have such a wide range of folks who care about me and my family. My sincere thanks to those of you who have known, and have expressed support. ============ ========= ========= ======= In amicitia et fide Publius Ullerius Stephanus Venator alias Steven, son of Stewart

Salve Iuli Regule,
I guess the way one views Nova Roma depends a lot on where one lives and how much chance one has for personal interaction.

If someone is a native (or a good) English speaker and lives in an area where there are no other Nova Romans, they may start to regard this mailing list as the embodiment of Nova Roma itself, and they might rigtly get annoyed if all that goes on is bickering.

People who speak very little English are blissfully ignorant of what happens on this list, and they are either involved with their provincial community (as far as I know none of the non-English lists has the problems we face here), or, if there is no community speaking their language, their involvmente can be only superficial.

On the other hand there are quite a few of us who have the luck of living in an area where there are other NR citizens, so we are able to have regular face to face meetings, and are better able to put into perspective what happens in this list.

I have met quite a big number of NR citizens, and I regularly take part in meetings and real-life initiatives, so I view the bickering on this list as an unavoidable evil, but the negativity here is amply compensated by the positive experiences in person.

So I think the solution is to shift the focus to real-life activities.
If there are no other NR members in your area, just go out and recruit some! Make a few leaflets and leave them at libraries, museums, etc. Dont's focus on the main list as the place for socialization, but rather, when recruiting, point out the number of activities that can be done if there are enough people (religious ceremonies, reenactment, etc.).

NR shouldn't be a repository for nerds who only live online, but a meeting place for people who are active in the world!

Optime vale,
Livia

>
> Salve,
>
> ��� It has been quite some time since I made my presence here and thought it was time to break out of my hiding. I left Nova Roma months ago due to personal reasons and also�the constant fighting between citizens, name calling, big egos, and quite frankly the few people that I did not take a liking. I can not and will not name names because I simply cant remember and chose to forget. What bothered me the most�were the�endless letters between citizens that claimed the other to be useless, stupid, liar, or any other poor choice of words that should be reserved for school children. Many tried to keep the ML clean and full of�useful information for those who�really wanted to be here for the education of what we seem to hold a deep interest in, which is all things Ancient Roman. Unfortunately, the�negative emails�seemed to take up most of the space and those of us who wanted to actually learn�new things and be apart of�something great were left
> with a bunch of people�arguing. It should not be explained that arguing gets us nowhere, it gets us to the very beginning to when this community was first created.�Of course, the easy argument would be, 'If you do not like it, then delete the message.' Which, in all fairness,�may be true but guess what we are left with if we just delete the message......a problem that can not go away by�just deleting the message.
> ��� We are just an online community that continues to�hack each other and call each other names with no end result. I joined this community so that I can have great conversations with�people who�enjoy the same history�and culture, not to see people attack each other.�What started this whole battle of the egos? First,�in my opinion, it was the creation of 'political positions' that turned this once great idea into just another online community. Second, the fact that the majority of us have never met. It is sad to see a community like ours that started out with great intentions turn into a place where people actually hate each other. What are we leaders of if we are elected to an office? The truth is absolutely nothing, I hate to say. All we are leaders of is a group of people who constantly bicker. We have no common place to interact and actually show leadership and passion for what we want to accomplish. We will continue to be just another
> online community who�never�reaches any of its goals that some of us actually want accomplished. A few may also think that this is just a game which also adds to the�poison. I, as many citizens do, wish for a dream to become a reality.�
> ��� Many citizens have written a letter like this to address the problem in this community and hopefully change the tide but all it�leads to is�another person who expected�a wonderful experience to leave�this place behind.�We cant continue to have citizens, especially great citizens, leave because they are tired of the�poisonous relationships and egos that gather�in this community. I appreciate the time that any of you have spent reading this message and hope that many of you agree. My intention here was not to offend any true�citizen or the office that you may currently or formerly have held�and if I have done so, then I sincerely apologize. I also�dont want those who actually contributed positive information to this community to be forgotten and I applaud all�you have done to better our community.�
>
> May the Gods�keep you all!!!
> Lucius Iulius Regulus�������
>

Salve Iuli Regule;
I agree with Livia. I had 2 cives here but lost them due to the unfortunate unusual.
So now I have joined a Latin speakers circle & we'll have a Saturnalia party and I will invite my other friends and spread the Romanitas.

Can you make such a party? Do you need ideas. We can discuss that; I am happy to help! Or restart Lentulus great Latin thread. I loved that too.
optime vale
Maior

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "livia_plauta" <livia.plauta@...> wrote:
>
> Salve Iuli Regule,
> I guess the way one views Nova Roma depends a lot on where one lives and how much chance one has for personal interaction.
>
> If someone is a native (or a good) English speaker and lives in an area where there are no other Nova Romans, they may start to regard this mailing list as the embodiment of Nova Roma itself, and they might rigtly get annoyed if all that goes on is bickering.
>
> People who speak very little English are blissfully ignorant of what happens on this list, and they are either involved with their provincial community (as far as I know none of the non-English lists has the problems we face here), or, if there is no community speaking their language, their involvmente can be only superficial.
>
> On the other hand there are quite a few of us who have the luck of living in an area where there are other NR citizens, so we are able to have regular face to face meetings, and are better able to put into perspective what happens in this list.
>
> I have met quite a big number of NR citizens, and I regularly take part in meetings and real-life initiatives, so I view the bickering on this list as an unavoidable evil, but the negativity here is amply compensated by the positive experiences in person.
>
> So I think the solution is to shift the focus to real-life activities.
> If there are no other NR members in your area, just go out and recruit some! Make a few leaflets and leave them at libraries, museums, etc. Dont's focus on the main list as the place for socialization, but rather, when recruiting, point out the number of activities that can be done if there are enough people (religious ceremonies, reenactment, etc.).
>
> NR shouldn't be a repository for nerds who only live online, but a meeting place for people who are active in the world!
>
> Optime vale,
> Livia
>
>
> >
> > Salve,
> >
> > ��� It has been quite some time since I made my presence here and thought it was time to break out of my hiding. I left Nova Roma months ago due to personal reasons and also�the constant fighting between citizens, name calling, big egos, and quite frankly the few people that I did not take a liking. I can not and will not name names because I simply cant remember and chose to forget. What bothered me the most�were the�endless letters between citizens that claimed the other to be useless, stupid, liar, or any other poor choice of words that should be reserved for school children. Many tried to keep the ML clean and full of�useful information for those who�really wanted to be here for the education of what we seem to hold a deep interest in, which is all things Ancient Roman. Unfortunately, the�negative emails�seemed to take up most of the space and those of us who wanted to actually learn�new things and be apart of�something great were left
> > with a bunch of people�arguing. It should not be explained that arguing gets us nowhere, it gets us to the very beginning to when this community was first created.�Of course, the easy argument would be, 'If you do not like it, then delete the message.' Which, in all fairness,�may be true but guess what we are left with if we just delete the message......a problem that can not go away by�just deleting the message.
> > ��� We are just an online community that continues to�hack each other and call each other names with no end result. I joined this community so that I can have great conversations with�people who�enjoy the same history�and culture, not to see people attack each other.�What started this whole battle of the egos? First,�in my opinion, it was the creation of 'political positions' that turned this once great idea into just another online community. Second, the fact that the majority of us have never met. It is sad to see a community like ours that started out with great intentions turn into a place where people actually hate each other. What are we leaders of if we are elected to an office? The truth is absolutely nothing, I hate to say. All we are leaders of is a group of people who constantly bicker. We have no common place to interact and actually show leadership and passion for what we want to accomplish. We will continue to be just another
> > online community who�never�reaches any of its goals that some of us actually want accomplished. A few may also think that this is just a game which also adds to the�poison. I, as many citizens do, wish for a dream to become a reality.�
> > ��� Many citizens have written a letter like this to address the problem in this community and hopefully change the tide but all it�leads to is�another person who expected�a wonderful experience to leave�this place behind.�We cant continue to have citizens, especially great citizens, leave because they are tired of the�poisonous relationships and egos that gather�in this community. I appreciate the time that any of you have spent reading this message and hope that many of you agree. My intention here was not to offend any true�citizen or the office that you may currently or formerly have held�and if I have done so, then I sincerely apologize. I also�dont want those who actually contributed positive information to this community to be forgotten and I applaud all�you have done to better our community.�
> >
> > May the Gods�keep you all!!!
> > Lucius Iulius Regulus�������
> >
>

Reminder from:		Nova-Roma Yahoo! Group
Title:		Posting rules in this Forum
Date:		Monday October 26, 2009
Time:		11:45 pm - 12:00 am
Repeats:		This event repeats every week until Friday January 1, 2010.
Location:		Rome
Notes:		Praetores omnibus s.d. Please keep on mind the posting rules defined in the current Edictum de sermone Apr. 24, 2762 GEM-PMA, that you find in the Files section of this Forum, at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nova-Roma/files/Edicta%20de%20sermone/ Valete omnes, Praetores G.E.Marinus and P.M.Albucius
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Salvete Omnes,
As I am on moderation due to a new address, would one of the kind Praetorian
cohors just let me know that this went through? No need to send it to the
whole list! I've had ...email woes ...so I must, regrettably, test once
again. My apologies!

Caeca

Salve Maior et Salvete Quirites,

I have just posted approx 90 more statues of Gods, Goddesses, mythical creatures including small soldier figurines for your shrines, Lararium or to give as gifts:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/l_j_a/sets/72157622074726511/
Also added a few items to "Accessories for Romans":
http://www.flickr.com/photos/l_j_a/sets/72157622110351397/

I will be adding more to the custom statuary in a few days so if there is a particular god or goddess you might be interested in let me know and i will bump it to the top of the list to be offered.

If you see something you like email me - citizens get special pricing.
The small soldiers make great Saturnalia gifts.

She-wolf Romulus and Remus statues can be found here at the bottom of the page:
http://thelastenchantment.com/RomanGreekStatues.html

I'll be back with some more ideas...;)

Vale, et Valete,

Julia

P.S has your custom statue arrived yet?

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Salvete omnes!

Hodie est ante diem VI Kalendas Novembris; hic dies comitialis est.

"The terrible severity of the punishment, however, made the soldiers
more obedient to their general, and not only did it lead to greater
attention being paid to the pickets and sentry duties and the ordering
of the outposts, but when they went into battle for the final contest,
this severity proved to be of the greatest service. The battle was
exactly like one fought in a civil war; there was nothing in the Latin
army different from the Roman except their courage. At first the
Romans used the large round shield called the clipeus, afterwards,
when the soldiers received pay, the smaller oblong shield called the
scutum was adopted. The phalanx formation, similar to the Macedonian
of the earlier days, was abandoned in favour of the distribution into
companies (manipuli); the rear portion being broken up into smaller
divisions. The foremost line consisted of the hastati, formed into
fifteen companies, drawn up at a short distance from each other. These
were called the light-armed companies, as whilst one-third carried a
long spear (hasta) and short iron javelins, the remainder carried
shields. This front line consisted of youths in the first bloom of
manhood just old enough for service. Behind them were stationed an
equal number of companies, called principes, made up of men in the
full vigour of life, all carrying shields and furnished with superior
weapons. This body of thirty companies were called the antepilani.
Behind them were the standards under which were stationed fifteen
companies, which were divided into three sections called vexillae, the
first section in each was called the pilus, and they consisted of 180
men to every standard (vexillum). The first vexillum was followed by
the triarii, veterans of proved courage; the second by the rorarii, or
"skirmishers," younger men and less distinguished; the third by the
accensi, who were least to be depended upon, and were therefore placed
in the rearmost line.

When the battle formation of the army was completed, the hastati were
the first to engage. If they failed to repulse the enemy, they slowly
retired through the intervals between the companies of the principes
who then took up the fight, the hastati following in their rear. The
triarii, meantime, were resting on one knee under their standards,
their shields over their shoulders and their spears planted on the
ground with the points upwards, giving them the appearance of a
bristling palisade. If the principes were also unsuccessful, they
slowly retired to the triarii, which has given rise to the proverbial
saying, when people are in great difficulty "matters have come down to
the triarii." When the triarii had admitted the hastati and principes
through the intervals separating their companies they rose from their
kneeling posture and instantly closing their companies up they blocked
all passage through them and in one compact mass fell on the enemy as
the last hope of the army. The enemy who had followed up the others as
though they had defeated them, saw with dread a now and larger army
rising apparently out of the earth. There were generally four legions
enrolled, consisting each of 5000 men, and 300 cavalry were assigned
to each legion. A force of equal size used to be supplied by the
Latins, now, however, they were hostile to Rome. The two armies were
drawn up in the same formation, and they knew that if the maniples
kept their order they would have to fight, not only vexilla with
vexilla, hastati with hastati, principes with principes, but even
centurion with centurion. There were amongst the triarii two
centurions, one in each army-the Roman, possessing but little bodily
strength but an energetic and experienced soldier, the Latin, a man of
enormous strength and a splendid fighter-very well known to each other
because they had always served in the same company. The Roman,
distrusting his own strength, had obtained the consuls' permission
before leaving Rome to choose his own sub-centurion to protect him
from the man who was destined to be his enemy. This youth, finding
himself face to face with the Latin centurion, gained a victory over
him." - Livy, History of Rome 8.8


PERSON OF THE DAY - FAUNUS

The god of wild nature and fertility, also regarded as the giver of
oracles. He was later identified with the Greek Pan and also assumed
some of Pan's characteristics such as the horns and hooves. As the
protector of cattle he is also referred to as Lupercus ("he who wards
off the wolf") by Justin Martyr.

Faunus was known as the father of Bona Dea (Fauna, his feminine side)
and Latinus by the nymph Marica (who was also sometimes Faunus'
mother). One particular tradition tells that Faunus was the king of
Latium, and the son of Picus. After his death he was deified as
Fatuus, and a small cult formed around his person in the sacred forest
of Tibur (Tivoli). On February 15 (the founding date of his temple)
his feast, the Lupercalia, was celebrated. Priests (called the
Luperci) wearing goat skins walked through the streets of Rome and hit
the spectators with belts made from goat skin. Another festival was
the Faunalia, observed on December 5.

He is accompanied by the fauns, analogous to the Greek satyrs. His
feminine counterpart is Fauna. The wolfskin, wreath, and a goblet are
his attributes

From Plutarch:

"Ignorance and blindness in regard to the gods divides itself at the very beginning into two streams, of which the one produces in hardened characters, as it were in stubborn soils, atheism, and the other in tender characters, as in moist soils, produces superstition. Every false judgement, and especially concerning these matters, is a mischievous thing; but where emotion also enters, it is most mischievous. For every emotion is likely to be a delusion that rankles; and just as dislocations of the joints accompanied by lacerations are hardest to deal with, so also is it with derangements of the soul accompanied by emotion...Is it, then, an unholy thing to speak meanly of the gods, but not unholy to have a mean opinion of them? Or does the opinion of him who speaks malignly make his utterance improper? It is a fact that we hold up malign speaking as a sign of animosity, and those who speak ill of us we regard as enemies, since we feel that they must also think ill of us. You see what kind of thoughts the superstitious have about the gods; they assume that the gods are rash, faithless, fickle, vengeful, cruel, and easily offended; and, as a result, the superstitious man is bound to hate and fear the gods. Why not, since he thinks that the worst of his ills are due to them, and will be due to them in the future? As he hates and fears the gods, he is an enemy to them. And yet, though he dreads them, he worships them and sacrifices to them and besieges their shrines; and this is nothing surprising; for it is equally true that men give welcome to despots, and pay court to them, and erect golden statues in their honour, but in their hearts they hate them and 'shake their head.'" - Moralia, "On Superstition" 1,11

Valete bene!

Cato

Salvete,
 
Respice post te, mortalem te esse memento - Look around you, remember that you are mortal. (Tertullianus)
 
 
Valete,
 
Ti. Galerius Paulinus

I've bought several books from Oxbo books in the past so they send me their newsletter. I hope no one minds. I'm forwarding their latest as some of the books look really interesting and I thought they might appeal to some here.

Cheers
Merula

A couple of months ago we attended the Limes Conference in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. We were able to pick up a number of Roman Frontiers related goodies there, and thought you might like the opportunity to get yours hands on some of them, many at nicely reduced prices. There are the handbooks and gazetteers from this years event, past conference proceedings and other recent research on the Roman frontiers, along with some cracking bargains.

------------------------------

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "livia_plauta" <livia.plauta@...> wrote:

> Excuse me, the two "obstacles" you mention are exactly the two factors that distinguish Nova Roma from any other cultural or free-time group, and also the two reasons people join us.

I recently decided to resign my citizenship after ten months of Nova Roma as it seems to me that everyone has a different idea about what NR should be or which direction it needs to take. I found the list to be incredibly hostile and not a place for new comers to speak, more a place for old enemies to cross swords and wash dirty linen in public. The only reason I have plucked up the courage to speak now is that I shall be walking away and no longer need to fit in with the "ethos" of the group. My parting advice is that NR sits down and works out exactly what it wants to be which is bound to involve the shedding of some citizens for pastures new but in it's present form I find NR to be neither a pleasant nor a useful place to be.

It is with great sadness that I bid you all farewell and hope that something changes here for the better.

Bob Draper, formerly Q. Claudius Crispus

Tibi congratulari Lusitane;
now does anyone know a birthday song in Latin:)
otptime vale
Maior

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, M•IVL• SEVERVS <m.iul.severus.consul@...> wrote:
>
> Salve Lusitane,
>
> Felicem diem natalem! We need young Nova Romans like you, positive people
> willing to make friends and serve the Res publica.
>
> Vale,
>
> M•IVL•SEVERVS
> CONSVL•NOVƕROMÆ
>
> SENATOR
> CONSVL•PROVINCIƕMEXICI
>

 A. Tullia Scholastica C. Mariae Caecae quiritibus, sociis, peregrinisque bonae voluntatis S.P.D.
 
 
Caeca ...scooting *very* quickly back to ...the 3rd declension, among other things: lots and lots of other things, and most of them are in Latin!

    ATS:  Optima es discipula!  That third declension is rather like the pons asinorum of declensions, so be sure to study it well, and memorize those genitives if you haven’t done so already!  I just had to lower the boom on some Sermo students who had not done their first assignment, for there the rules do not allow that sort of thing.  Those who do not do the work are removed from the class list, period.  

    You are a good example of devotion to one’s study of Latin.  Macte!  

Vale, et valete.  


  
    

Two short passages in brackets (" [ ")have been added to the contributor's message, in the paragraph concerning the Milvius bridge episod, first to underline the fact that the apparition is not necessarily a truth, and second that Constantinus emp. was not a "pagan", word which designs a non-Christian in Christian vocabulary, but just an emperor like other ones, who was a cultor of the Roman Religion. [note of P. Memmius Albucius, pr.]

________________________________________________________________


Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Salvete omnes!

Hodie est ante diem V Kalendas Novembris; haec dies comitialis est.

"The battle took place near the base of Mount Vesuvius, where the road
led to Veseris. Before leading out their armies to battle the consuls
offered sacrifice. The haruspex, whose duty it was to inspect the
different organs in the victims, pointed out to Decius a prophetic
intimation of his death, in all other respects the signs were
favourable. Manlius' sacrifice was entirely satisfactory. "It is
well," said Decius, "if my colleague has obtained favourable signs."
They moved forward to battle in the formation I have already
described, Manlius in command of the right division, Decius of the
left. At first both armies fought with equal strength and equal
determination. After a time the Roman hastati on the left, unable to
withstand the insistency of the Latins, retired behind the principes.
During the temporary confusion created by this movement, Decius
exclaimed in a loud voice to M. Valerius: "Valerius, we need the help
of the gods! Let the Pontifex Maximus dictate to me the words in which
I am to devote myself for the legions." The Pontifex bade him veil his
head in his toga praetexta, and rest his hand, covered with the toga,
against his chin, then standing upon a spear to say these words:
"Janus, Jupiter, Father Mars, Quirinus, Bellona, Lares, ye Novensiles
and Indigetes, deities to whom belongs the power over us and over our
foes, and ye, too, Divine Manes, I pray to you, I do you reverence, I
crave your grace and favour that you will bless the Roman People, the
Quirites, with power and victory, and visit the enemies of the Roman
People, the Quirites, with fear and dread and death. In like manner as
I have uttered this prayer so do I now on behalf of the commonwealth
of the Quirites, on behalf of the army, the legions, the auxiliaries
of the Roman People, the Quirites, devote the legions and auxiliaries
of the enemy, together with myself to the Divine Manes and to Earth."
After this prayer he ordered the lictors to go to T. Manlius and at
once announce to his colleague that he had devoted himself on behalf
of the army. He then girded himself with the Gabinian cincture, and in
full armour leaped upon his horse and dashed into the middle of the
enemy. To those who watched him in both armies, he appeared something
awful and superhuman, as though sent from heaven to expiate and
appease all the anger of the gods and to avert destruction from his
people and bring it on their enemies. All the dread and terror which
he carried with him threw the front ranks of the Latins into confusion
which soon spread throughout the entire army. This was most evident,
for wherever his horse carried him they were paralysed as though
struck by some death-dealing star; but when he fell, overwhelmed with
darts, the Latin cohorts, in a state of perfect consternation, fled
from the spot and left a large space clear. The Romans, on the other
hand, freed from all religious fears, pressed forward as though the
signal was then first given and commenced a great battle. Even the
rorarii rushed forward between the companies of antepilani and added
strength to the hastati and principes, whilst the triarii, kneeling on
their right knee, waited for the consul's signal to rise." - Livy,
History of Rome 8.9


"First, the tresses of her [Isis'] hair were long and thick, and
streamed down softly, flowing and curling about her divine neck. On
her head she wore as a crown many garlands of flowers, and in the
middle of her forehead shone white and glowing a round disc like a
mirror, or rather like the moon; on its right and left it was bound
about with the furrowed coils of rising vipers, and above it were
stalks of grain. Her tunic was of many colours, woven of the finest
linen, now gleaming with snowy whiteness, now yellow like the crocus,
now rosy-red like a flame. But what dazzled my eyes more than anything
else was her cloak, for it was a deep black, glistening with sable
sheen; it was cast about her, passing under her right arm and brought
together on her left shoulder. Part of it hung down like a shield and
drooped in many a fold, the whole reaching to the lower edge of her
garment with tasseled fringe." - Apuleius, "Metamorphoses" XI.3

In ancient Egypt, today was celebrated in honor of the goddess Isis.
Isis belongs to the Ennead of Heliopolis, and according to the
Heliopolitan genealogy is a daughter of Seb and Nut, sister and wife
of Osiris. Possibly she was originally the personification of the
throne (her name is written with the hieroglyph for throne), and as
such she was an important source of the pharaoh's power. In the
Hellenistic time Isis was the protrectress of sailors. In the Osiris
myths she searched for her husband's body, who was killed by her
brother Seth. She retrieved and reassembled the body, and in this
connection she took on the role of a goddess of the dead and of the
funeral rights. Isis impregnated herself from the Osiris' body and
gave birth to Horus in the swamps of Khemnis in the Nile Delta. Here
she raised her son in secret and kept him far away from Seth. Horus
later defeated Seth and became the first ruler of a united Egypt.
Isis, as mother of Horus, was by extension regarded as the mother and
protectress of the pharaoh's. She was worshipped as the divine
mother-goddess, faithful consort of Osiris, and dedicated mother of Horus.

Isis was a vital link between the gods and mankind. The pharaoh was
her son, as the living Horus. In the Pyramid Texts the pharaoh suckles
as Isis' divine breasts. There are numerous statues and imagery of
Isis holding the young Horus in her lap. Often the images of the
queen-mother and current pharaoh were styled in the same way. Isis
protected Horus during his childhood from his uncle Seth who wished to
murder him. It was her hole that he might one day grow up to avenge
his father's murder. In the Book of the Dead, Isis is regarded as the
giver of life and food to the dead. She may also be one of the judges
of the dead. Another of her roles was to protect Imsety, one of the
four sons of Horus, as he guarded over the liver of the deceased.

Isis was a great magician and is famous for the use of her magical
skills. For example, she created the first cobra and used it's
venomous bite to coerce Re into revealing his secret name. From the
beginning of Egypt's history to the end, Isis was the greatest goddess
of Egypt. She was the beneficial goddess and mother whose love
encompassed every living creature. Isis was also the purest example of
the loving wife and mother and it was in this capacity that the
Egyptian people loved her the most.

Her worship spread well beyond the borders of Egypt, as far away as
England. The works of the classical writers identified her with
Persephone, Tethys, Athene, etc, just as Osiris was associated with
Hades, Dionysos and other foreign gods. Isis was depicted as a woman
with the solar disk between the cow horns on her head (an analogy with
the goddess Hathor) or crowned with a thrown, but also with the child
Horus sitting on her lap. A vulture was sometimes seen incorporated in
her crown. Also she was sometimes depicted as a kite above the
mummified body of Osiris. Isis' popularity lasted far into the Roman
era. She had her own priests and many temples were erected in her
honor. On the island of Philae in the Nile delta her largest temple
was situated (it was transferred to the island Agilkia in 1975-1980).




"When I, Constantine Augustus, as well as I Licinius Augustus
fortunately met near Mediolanum [Milan], and were considering
everything that pertained to the public welfare and security, we
thought, among other things which we saw would be for the good of
many, those regulations pertaining to the reverence of the Divinity
ought certainly to be made first, so that we might grant to the
Christians and others full authority to observe that religion which
each preferred; whence any Divinity whatsoever in the seat of the
heavens may be propitious and kindly disposed to us and all who are
placed under our rule..." - from the Edict of Milan as quoted by
Lactantius, "De Mortibus Persecutiones" ch. 48


On this day in AD 312, the co-Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius
met for their final, bitter clash in the culmination of a rivalry for
power that had begun with the death of Constantine's father,
Constantius Chlorus, and he forced abdication of Maxentius' father,
Maximian. In 308, Maxentius had been declared "senior" co-Emperor
with Galerius as his partner; Constantine was declared "Caesar", or
"junior" Emperor. Galerius died in 311, leaving the road to hostility
between Constantine and Maxentius free of even technical obstacles.

During the summer of 312, Constantine gathered his forces and decided
to settle the dispute by force. He easily overran northern Italy, and
stood less than 10 miles from Rome when Maxentius chose to make his
stand in front of the Milvian Bridge, a stone bridge (a successor of
which stands today at the same site, by the Italian name Ponte Milvio
or sometimes Ponte Molle) which carries the Via Flaminia road across
the Tiber River into Rome. Holding it was crucial if Maxentius was to
keep his rival out of Rome, where the Senate would surely favor
whoever held the city. Constantine, after arriving, realized he had
made a miscalculation and that Maxentius had many more soldiers
available than he did. Some sources say the advantage was ten to one
in Maxentius' favor, but it was probably more like four to one. In any
case, Constantine had a tough challenge ahead of him.

It is commonly stated that on the evening of October 27, with the
armies preparing for battle, Constantine, alone, just as he had
publicly announced he saw Apollo two years before, reportedly had a
vision as he looked toward the setting sun; although Eusebius of
Caesarea records the event as occurring when Maxentius' army was still
in Northern Italy. At any rate, [we are said that] a cross appeared emblazoned on the sun, and in some versions the Greek letters XP ("Chi Rho", the first two letters of "Christ" in Greek) intertwined with it; and Constantine either saw or heard the Greek phrase often rendered in Latin as "In hoc signo vinces" - "With this sign, you shall conquer". Constantine, who [like every emperor was at the time a cultor of the religio romana], is said to have put the symbol (the labarum) on his solders' shields.

The next day, the two armies clashed, and Constantine emerged
victorious. Already known as a skillful general, Constantine began to
push Maxentius' army back toward the Tiber, and Maxentius decided to
retreat and make another stand at Rome itself. But there was only one
escape route, via the bridge, and Constantine's men inflicted heavy
losses on the retreating army. Finally, a bridge of boats set up
alongside the Milvian Bridge, over which many of the troops were
escaping, collapsed, and those men stranded on the north bank of the
Tiber were either taken prisoner or killed, with Maxentius numbered
among the dead.

Constantine entered Rome not long afterwards and was acclaimed as sole
Western Roman Augustus. He was still co-ruler with Eastern Roman
Emperors Maximinus and Licinius. He credited his victory at the
Milvian Bridge to the God of the Christians, and ordered the end of
any religious persecution within his realm, a step he had already
taken in Britain and Gaul in 306. With the emperor as a patron,
Christianity grew in popularity and power - leading to the Edict of
Milan in 313, which declared that the Roman Empire would be neutral
with regard to religious worship, officially ending all
government-sanctioned persecution.

Valete bene!

Cato

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Salvete!

Whether they like it or not, I applaud the candidacies of Publius Annæus Constantinus Placidus and Titus Flavius Aquila for curule aedile, and wish them the very best of luck in the upcoming election.

Nova Roma needs more strong, capable citizens to help her figure out where she is going - and how - in the future. I encourage all citizens to look at the magistracies open and consider whether or not they feel they can bring something new, something fresh, for the benefit of the Respublica.

Vivat Nova Roma.

Valete,

Cato

Cato Tito Flavio sal.

Salve.

Thank you. The Respublica is much bigger than any faction or personal interest, and the fact that we know we all feel strongly about her is enough reason to hope for her future. I know you care about her, your passion is evident in your speech; I know all the candidates who have declared so far care about her. Our approaches may differ but our goal is the same: a healthy, energetic Respublica.

Vale,

Cato

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, Titus Flavius Aquila <titus.aquila@...> wrote:
>
> Salve Cato,
>  
> we do belong to different political fractions and we are of different opinions concerning the development of our Republic, nevertheless to applaud the other side is not always an easy task to do and I appreciate your open mind and I think it is only fair to return your good wishes for the elections.
>  
> Titus Flavius Aquila
> Curule Aedelis Candidatus
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> Von: Cato <catoinnyc@...>
> An: Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com
> Gesendet: Mittwoch, den 28. Oktober 2009, 13:21:31 Uhr
> Betreff: [Nova-Roma] Candidates for Aedilis Curulis
>
>  
> Cato omnibus in foro SPD
>
> Salvete!
>
> Whether they like it or not, I applaud the candidacies of Publius Annæus Constantinus Placidus and Titus Flavius Aquila for curule aedile, and wish them the very best of luck in the upcoming election.
>
> Nova Roma needs more strong, capable citizens to help her figure out where she is going - and how - in the future. I encourage all citizens to look at the magistracies open and consider whether or not they feel they can bring something new, something fresh, for the benefit of the Respublica.
>
> Vivat Nova Roma.
>
> Valete,
>
> Cato
>
>
> vale
>

Salve, and welcome to NR!

First, I'm delighted to see another prospective member, and hope that your
stay will be long and satisfying. Next, please don't feel you need to
apologize for your English usage! You don't, and besides, your English is
way better than, for example, my Korean, which is nonexistent! We have lots
of members for whom English is a 2nd, or even 34d or 4h language, so don't
be shy about communicating. If you haven't done so already, please check
out our site! It is a treasure trove of wonderful things, and one can get
happily lost there for hours and hours! I should know ...I have (smile).

Finally, best of luck on your coming exams! Oh ...and you joined just in
time to observe our elections, so enjoy the "show", it's a campaign, after
all, but we do take our duties, and our organization rather seriously, and
beneath the rhetoric, you will see an abiding concern and even love for NR,
and a strong desire to secure for her the brightest possible future.

Vale Optime,
C. Maria Caeca (candidate for Quaestor).

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Salvete omnes!

Hodiernus dies est ante diem IV Kalendas Novembris; haec dies comitialis est.

"When Manlius heard the fate of his colleague, he honoured his
glorious death with tears no less than with the due meed of praise.
Meantime the battle proceeded, and in some quarters the weight of
numbers was giving the advantage to the Latins. For some time Manlius
was in doubt whether the moment had not come for calling up the
triarii, but judging it better for them to be kept fresh till the
final crisis of the battle, he gave orders for the accensi at the
extreme rear to advance to the front. When they came up, the Latins,
taking them for the opposing triarii, instantly called up their own.
In the desperate struggle they had tired themselves out and broken or
blunted their spears, but as they were still driving the enemy back by
main force, they imagined that the battle was decided and that they
had reached their last line. Then it was that the consul said to his
triarii: "Rise up now, fresh and vigorous against a wearied foe; think
of your country and your parents and wives and children; think of your
consul lying there dead that ye might win the victory!" They rose up
fresh and resplendent in their armour, as though a new army had
suddenly sprung up, and after letting the antepilani retire through
them they raised their battle-shout. The front ranks of the Latins
were thrown into disorder, the Romans thrust their spears into their
faces, and in this way killed the main support of their army. They
went on without being touched through the remaining companies as
though through a crowd of unarmed men, and they marked their advance
with such a slaughter that they left hardly a fourth part of the
enemy. The Samnites, too, who were drawn up close to the lowest spurs
of the mountain, were threatening the Latins on their flank, and so
adding to their demoralisation.

The chief credit for that successful battle was given by all, Romans
and allies alike, to the two consuls-one of whom had diverted on to
himself alone all the dangers that threatened from the gods supernal
and the gods infernal, whilst the other had shown such consummate
generalship in the battle itself that the Roman and Latin historians
who have left an account of it, are quite agreed that whichever side
had had T. Manlius as their commander must have won the victory. After
their flight the Latins took refuge in Menturnae. Their camp was
captured after the battle, and many were killed there, mostly
Campanians. The body of Decius was not found that day, as night
overtook those who were searching for it, the next day it was
discovered, buried beneath a heap of javelins and with an immense
number of the enemy lying round it. His obsequies were conducted by
his colleague in a manner befitting that glorious death. I ought to
add here that a consul or Dictator or praetor, when he devotes the
legions of the enemy, need not necessarily devote himself but may
select any one he chooses out of a legion that has been regularly
enrolled. If the man who has been so devoted is killed, all is
considered to have been duly performed. If he is not killed, an image
of the man, seven feet high at least, must be buried in the earth, and
a victim slain as an expiatory sacrifice; on the spot, where such an
image has been buried, no Roman magistrate must ever set his foot. If,
as in the case of Decius, the commander devotes himself but survives
the battle, he can no longer discharge any religious function, either
on his own account or on behalf of the State. He has the right to
devote his arms, either by offering a sacrifice or otherwise, to
Vulcan or to any other deity. The spear on which the consul stands,
when repeating the formula of devotion, must not pass into the enemy's
hands; should this happen a suovetaurilia must be offered as a
propitiation to Mars." - Livy, History of Rome 8.10


Today is the second day of the festival of Isis, the Isia. The second
day is called the Zetesis and Heuresis. Professional singers,
musicians, and dancers, mostly female, performed at the temples during
the Isia.


Today was the Iroquois Feast of The Dead. The tribe called themselves
the "Haudenosaunee" meaning "people of the long house." The origin of
their common name ("Iroquois") is a mystery, although two schools of
thought predominate: either the Algonquin word "Iroqu" (Irinakhoiw),
which means "rattlesnake," was combined by the French with the suffix
"ois" to form the name "Iroquois" as an insult, meaning "Black Snakes"
or as stated by Bruce E. Johansen in his masterful study "Forgotten
Founders":

"Another matter that surprised many contemporary observers was the
Iroquois' sophisticated use of oratory. Their excellence with the
spoken word, among other attributes, often caused Colden and others to
compare the Iroquois to the Romans and Greeks. The French use of the
term Iroquois to describe the confederacy was itself related to this
oral tradition; it came from the practice of ending their orations
with the two words hiro and kone. The first meant "I say" or "I have
said" and the second was an exclamation of joy or sorrow according to
the circumstances of the speech. The two words, joined and made
subject to French pronunciation, became Iroquois. The English were
often exposed to the Iroquois' oratorical skills at eighteenth-century
treaty councils." - Bruce E. Johansen, "Forgotten Founders", Chapter 3
"Our Indians have Outdone The Romans", p. 41

Their home was the upstate New York area from Niagara Falls to the
Adirondacks but the "Iroquois League of Nations" once ruled an empire
that extended from the Chesapeake to the junction of the Ohio and
Mississippi rivers. The League's decision to side with the British
during the Revolutionary War was disastrous. Subsequent treaties
surrendered most of their land to white settlers, and their people
retreated to their northern lands across the border to Canada.

A thought from Plutarch:

"But since, to quote Simonides, 'all larks must grow a crest,' and every public career bears its crop of enmities and disagreements, the public man must give especial consideration to these matters. So most people commend Themistocles and Aristeides who, whenever they went on an embassy or in command of an army, laid down their private enmity at the frontier, then took it up again later. And some people are also immensely pleased by the conduct of Cretinas of Magnesia. He was a political opponent of Hermeias, a man who was not powerful but was of ambitious spirit and brilliant mind, and when the Mithridatic war broke out, seeing that the State was in danger, he told Hermeias to take over the command and manage affairs, while he himself withdrew; or, if Hermeias wished him to be general, then Hermeias should remove himself, that they might not by ambitious strife with one another destroy the State. The challenge pleased Hermeias, and saying that Cretinas was more versed in war than himself, he went away with his wife and children. And as he was departing Cretinas escorted him, first giving him out of his own means such things as were more useful to exiles than to people besieged in a city, after which by his excellent military leadership he saved the State unexpectedly when it was on the brink of destruction. For if it is a noble thing and the mark of an exalted spirit to exclaim

'I love my children, but I love my country more.' - Moralia, "Precepts of Statecraft" 14

Valete bene!

Cato

Iulia Aquila Quiritibus S.P.D.

Venus Genetrix Dedication Ritual 25October2009

Summary:
I arrived approximately two hours before sunrise on Sunday 25October2009 at the previously defined and sanctified Templum area. At the designated areas altars were placed for the Manes and the Gods; with head covered the Praeparitio, Consecratio and Dedicatio of the area were completed. This included adoratio, the ritual purifications, Lamb's blood sacrifice to the Manes, sacrifices of incense, honeyed wine to Ianus and Iuppiter ceremony to sanctify and dedicate the spring to Venus Genetrix. This also included the purification and sacrifice of rose water, incense, honeyed milk to consecrate and dedicate the foundation (aka pallas) stone for the Venus altar.
Birds sang sweetly throughout the ceremony, but it was too dark to see them well.
At the conclusion of this part of the ceremony when I was preparing for the Ritual to Venus Genetrix, three deer appeared from the woods, one had a good set of horns; they stood calmly watching, the large one with the horns lowered his head. They disappeared as swiftly and silently as they appeared.

Main Ritual - Dedication of the spring to Venus Genetrix:
As the sky began to lighten with head still covered, I performed the Praefatio: Immediately after I called for the Gods and men to be present at the Holy rites a bird of blue color flew straight towards me over the spring and up to the sky westbound from the east. Purifications rituals and purifications to altar, adoratio, were performed than sacrifices: incense to Janus, libations of honeyed milk to the Gods, incense and libation of honeyed milk to the Ancestors. While standing east of the Altar after inviting the Gods an Eagle soared from east to the west.
Invocatio. Call for silentum, purifications, adoratio, invocations to Venus Genetrix (et epithets)
Sacrificatio to Venus Genetrix of incense, honeyed milk, followed by adoratio and invocation to Venus Genetrix.
Special prayer requests to Mother Venus for favor and good fortune for Nova Roma, the citizens of Nova Roma, the Senate, Magistrates and our families.
Flowers placed on the altar and into Her spring. Adoratio, preparation of and prayer over Libum performed. Adoratio, serves Libum into focus, prayers to Venus Genetrix for acceptance of sacrifice over focus and answer to my prayers. After sacrifice completed, I stepped away from the altar and raised my left hand in a gesture of liberalitas, right hand manus supine and prayed that I asked no more of the Gods on High that day.
Praefatio, as a soft breeze swept about me and I closed the ceremony with the closing prayers, a handful of what appeared to be white birds flew over head from the east and settled in high in a tree to the west and sang melodically.
Birds sang sweetly throughout the ceremony singing softer, it seemed, when I spoke or when I called for silentum.
After the conclusion of the ceremony a duck family appeared and ate the libum I left on a stone on the shore before the altar. They unafraid of me and Petra, the canine, who stood less than a foot away.

After the ceremony was over there were some other birds, but they flew too high for me to see really well because of the sunrise, might have been geese but I am not too sure, and there was a heron. The water was jeweled from the sunrise and also from the fish, including schools of tiny fish that glinted with gold and silver. Right by Venus' altar I found an arrowhead and a holey stone. I inspected the area where the deer appeared and there was no trace, not even a hoof print. When I got home and got out of the car a praying mantis was positioned right in the front of my car looking directly at it.
Here are some photos; I was by myself so I was unable to get photos of the ceremony itself because I was performing it, I recommend viewing them on the slideshow option in a darkened room to get full effect:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/l_j_a/sets/72157622553468175/

Optimé valéte in pace Veneris,

Julia

Fl. Galerius Aurelianus s.p.d.

Senator Cato's post has been made out of context. At no time did the Augurs ever attempt to invalidate the voting results of the Senate nor delay the announcement of the Senate results by the Tribuni.

However, there was a moment of confusion for me also, but the augurs announced that was not the case. I do not understand why Senator Cato is posting information off the Senate List on the ML.

Valete.

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "Cato" <catoinnyc@...> wrote:
>
> Cato Maiori sal.
>
> Salve.
>
> The auspices were taken. The gods gave Their approval to the Senate session.
>
> The Senate was convened, and voted; the Item regarding a gag rule on the Senate was defeated.
>
> Both Piscinus and Modianus voted on the losing side.
>
> Piscinus and Modianus are the *only* members of the College of Augurs.
>
> Suddenly after the vote, the College of Augurs is convened:
>
> "...to consider whether the Senate has been convened inauspiciously during the month of October 2762 AUC. Contingent on this first issue is then whether a viatium has negated the session and therefore whether the decisions of the Senate during this session should be voided."
>
> The Senate of ancient Rome never recorded a single instance were the session was voided after the fact because of a mistake made in the taking of the auspices. I say that Piscinus and Modianus are using their sacred offices to political ends, unjustified by fact or history.
>
> If a mistake was made in the auspices, it is the responsibility of the *individual who made the mistake* to offer a piaculum on his *own* behalf, not to declare that the entire Senate is in the wrong.
>
>
> As for your own reputation, I have challenged you and Regulus no less than SEVEN TIMES in the past few months to back up a single deliberate mistruth you have spoken about me, with your reward - something you both clamor for as the best possible thing that could happen to Nova Roma - being my resignation FOREVER from the Respublica. You have been unable to do so, because the claims you make are simply false.
>
> Vale,
>
> Cato
>

Salve Julia!
Thak you for our wonderful report! It looks like you had plenty of good omens and that your templum willl have a bright future. I am very intereted in religio Romanum and had some questions for you.
First, what is the Praefatio? Secondly, do you have a source for your prayers? I haven't found any yet and am not quite sure where to look. It's would mean more to me if I didn't have to wing it at home or with my legion... And lastly, where is your templum? Your pictures are absolutely beautiful!
Gratias,
L. Antonia Auriga
a.k.a. Junia Bruta, Legio VI V.P.F.

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "luciaiuliaaquila" <dis_pensible@...> wrote:
>
> Iulia Aquila Quiritibus S.P.D.
>
> Venus Genetrix Dedication Ritual 25October2009
>
> Summary:
> I arrived approximately two hours before sunrise on Sunday 25October2009 at the previously defined and sanctified Templum area. At the designated areas altars were placed for the Manes and the Gods; with head covered the Praeparitio, Consecratio and Dedicatio of the area were completed. This included adoratio, the ritual purifications, Lamb's blood sacrifice to the Manes, sacrifices of incense, honeyed wine to Ianus and Iuppiter ceremony to sanctify and dedicate the spring to Venus Genetrix. This also included the purification and sacrifice of rose water, incense, honeyed milk to consecrate and dedicate the foundation (aka pallas) stone for the Venus altar.
> Birds sang sweetly throughout the ceremony, but it was too dark to see them well.
> At the conclusion of this part of the ceremony when I was preparing for the Ritual to Venus Genetrix, three deer appeared from the woods, one had a good set of horns; they stood calmly watching, the large one with the horns lowered his head. They disappeared as swiftly and silently as they appeared.
>
> Main Ritual - Dedication of the spring to Venus Genetrix:
> As the sky began to lighten with head still covered, I performed the Praefatio: Immediately after I called for the Gods and men to be present at the Holy rites a bird of blue color flew straight towards me over the spring and up to the sky westbound from the east. Purifications rituals and purifications to altar, adoratio, were performed than sacrifices: incense to Janus, libations of honeyed milk to the Gods, incense and libation of honeyed milk to the Ancestors. While standing east of the Altar after inviting the Gods an Eagle soared from east to the west.
> Invocatio. Call for silentum, purifications, adoratio, invocations to Venus Genetrix (et epithets)
> Sacrificatio to Venus Genetrix of incense, honeyed milk, followed by adoratio and invocation to Venus Genetrix.
> Special prayer requests to Mother Venus for favor and good fortune for Nova Roma, the citizens of Nova Roma, the Senate, Magistrates and our families.
> Flowers placed on the altar and into Her spring. Adoratio, preparation of and prayer over Libum performed. Adoratio, serves Libum into focus, prayers to Venus Genetrix for acceptance of sacrifice over focus and answer to my prayers. After sacrifice completed, I stepped away from the altar and raised my left hand in a gesture of liberalitas, right hand manus supine and prayed that I asked no more of the Gods on High that day.
> Praefatio, as a soft breeze swept about me and I closed the ceremony with the closing prayers, a handful of what appeared to be white birds flew over head from the east and settled in high in a tree to the west and sang melodically.
> Birds sang sweetly throughout the ceremony singing softer, it seemed, when I spoke or when I called for silentum.
> After the conclusion of the ceremony a duck family appeared and ate the libum I left on a stone on the shore before the altar. They unafraid of me and Petra, the canine, who stood less than a foot away.
>
> After the ceremony was over there were some other birds, but they flew too high for me to see really well because of the sunrise, might have been geese but I am not too sure, and there was a heron. The water was jeweled from the sunrise and also from the fish, including schools of tiny fish that glinted with gold and silver. Right by Venus' altar I found an arrowhead and a holey stone. I inspected the area where the deer appeared and there was no trace, not even a hoof print. When I got home and got out of the car a praying mantis was positioned right in the front of my car looking directly at it.
> Here are some photos; I was by myself so I was unable to get photos of the ceremony itself because I was performing it, I recommend viewing them on the slideshow option in a darkened room to get full effect:
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/l_j_a/sets/72157622553468175/
>
> Optimé valéte in pace Veneris,
>
> Julia
>

Happy birthday! I don't know enough to say something elegant in Latin (yet). Tomorrow is my birthday (10/30)! Go Scorpios. Love that the Praetorians chose to use the scorpion as their symbol. Kinda makes me feel special...lol.
L. Antonia Auriga

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "C.Maria Caeca" <c.mariacaeca@...> wrote:
>
> Happiest of birthdays to you, even if a bit late.
>
> Caeca ...scooting *very* quickly back to ...the 3rd declension, among other things: lots and lots of other things, and most of them are in Latin!
>

Auguri, auguri Julia amica;
what a wonderful ritual. Inspiring and beautiful. May Alma Venus always be propitious to you! May she watch over Nova Roma.

Tibi gratias ago (thank you) for sharing this with us, I just received my wonderful statue of Fauna, and as soon as I get my videocam working
I'll post pics. III Non. Decembris is the state mysteries for Bona Dea, I'm still working on restoring them. So I will put her in pride of place for Saturnalia which is XVI Kal. Ian. and my party.

Many thanks amica for everything!
bene vale in pacem Veneris Matris
M. Hortensia Maior

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, Titus Flavius Aquila <titus.aquila@...> wrote:
>
> Salve Julia ,amica
>
> thank you very much for sharing this with us.
>
> One can see how beautiful and lively our Religio Romana is.
>
> Vale optime
> Titus Flavius Aquila
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> Von: fauxrari <drivergirl@...>
> An: Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com
> Gesendet: Donnerstag, den 29. Oktober 2009, 15:56:59 Uhr
> Betreff: [Nova-Roma] Re: Venus Genetrix Dedication Ritual 25October2009
>
>  
> Salve Julia!
> Thak you for our wonderful report! It looks like you had plenty of good omens and that your templum willl have a bright future. I am very intereted in religio Romanum and had some questions for you.
> First, what is the Praefatio? Secondly, do you have a source for your prayers? I haven't found any yet and am not quite sure where to look. It's would mean more to me if I didn't have to wing it at home or with my legion... And lastly, where is your templum? Your pictures are absolutely beautiful!
> Gratias,
> L. Antonia Auriga
> a.k.a. Junia Bruta, Legio VI V.P.F.
>
> --- In Nova-Roma@yahoogrou ps.com, "luciaiuliaaquila" <dis_pensible@ ...> wrote:
> >
> > Iulia Aquila Quiritibus S.P.D.
> >
> > Venus Genetrix Dedication Ritual 25October2009
> >
> > Summary:
> > I arrived approximately two hours before sunrise on Sunday 25October2009 at the previously defined and sanctified Templum area. At the designated areas altars were placed for the Manes and the Gods; with head covered the Praeparitio, Consecratio and Dedicatio of the area were completed. This included adoratio, the ritual purifications, Lamb's blood sacrifice to the Manes, sacrifices of incense, honeyed wine to Ianus and Iuppiter ceremony to sanctify and dedicate the spring to Venus Genetrix. This also included the purification and sacrifice of rose water, incense, honeyed milk to consecrate and dedicate the foundation (aka pallas) stone for the Venus altar.
> > Birds sang sweetly throughout the ceremony, but it was too dark to see them well.
> > At the conclusion of this part of the ceremony when I was preparing for the Ritual to Venus Genetrix, three deer appeared from the woods, one had a good set of horns; they stood calmly watching, the large one with the horns lowered his head. They disappeared as swiftly and silently as they appeared.
> >
> > Main Ritual - Dedication of the spring to Venus Genetrix:
> > As the sky began to lighten with head still covered, I performed the Praefatio: Immediately after I called for the Gods and men to be present at the Holy rites a bird of blue color flew straight towards me over the spring and up to the sky westbound from the east. Purifications rituals and purifications to altar, adoratio, were performed than sacrifices: incense to Janus, libations of honeyed milk to the Gods, incense and libation of honeyed milk to the Ancestors. While standing east of the Altar after inviting the Gods an Eagle soared from east to the west.
> > Invocatio. Call for silentum, purifications, adoratio, invocations to Venus Genetrix (et epithets)
> > Sacrificatio to Venus Genetrix of incense, honeyed milk, followed by adoratio and invocation to Venus Genetrix.
> > Special prayer requests to Mother Venus for favor and good fortune for Nova Roma, the citizens of Nova Roma, the Senate, Magistrates and our families.
> > Flowers placed on the altar and into Her spring. Adoratio, preparation of and prayer over Libum performed. Adoratio, serves Libum into focus, prayers to Venus Genetrix for acceptance of sacrifice over focus and answer to my prayers. After sacrifice completed, I stepped away from the altar and raised my left hand in a gesture of liberalitas, right hand manus supine and prayed that I asked no more of the Gods on High that day.
> > Praefatio, as a soft breeze swept about me and I closed the ceremony with the closing prayers, a handful of what appeared to be white birds flew over head from the east and settled in high in a tree to the west and sang melodically.
> > Birds sang sweetly throughout the ceremony singing softer, it seemed, when I spoke or when I called for silentum.
> > After the conclusion of the ceremony a duck family appeared and ate the libum I left on a stone on the shore before the altar. They unafraid of me and Petra, the canine, who stood less than a foot away.
> >
> > After the ceremony was over there were some other birds, but they flew too high for me to see really well because of the sunrise, might have been geese but I am not too sure, and there was a heron. The water was jeweled from the sunrise and also from the fish, including schools of tiny fish that glinted with gold and silver. Right by Venus' altar I found an arrowhead and a holey stone. I inspected the area where the deer appeared and there was no trace, not even a hoof print. When I got home and got out of the car a praying mantis was positioned right in the front of my car looking directly at it.
> > Here are some photos; I was by myself so I was unable to get photos of the ceremony itself because I was performing it, I recommend viewing them on the slideshow option in a darkened room to get full effect:
> > http://www.flickr com/photos/ l_j_a/sets/ 7215762255346817 5/
> >
> > Optimé valéte in pace Veneris,
> >
> > Julia
> >
>

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Salvete omnes!

Hodiernus dies est ante diem III Kalendas Novembris; haec dies comitialis est.

"Although the memory of every traditional custom relating to either
human or divine things has been lost through our abandonment of the
old religion of our fathers in favour of foreign novelties, I thought
it not alien from my subject to record these regulations in the very
words in which they have been handed down. In some authors I find it
stated that it was only after the battle was over that the Samnites
who had been waiting to see the result came to support the Romans.
Assistance was also coming to the Latins from Lanuvium whilst time was
being wasted in deliberation, but whilst they were starting and a part
of their column was already on the march, news came of the defeat of
the Latins. They faced about and re-entered their city, and it is
stated that Milionius, their praetor, remarked that for that very
short march they would have to pay a heavy price to Rome. Those of the
Latins who survived the battle retreated by many different routes, and
gradually assembled in the city of Vescia. Here the leaders met to
discuss the situation, and Numisius assured them that both armies had
really experienced the same fortune and an equal amount of bloodshed;
the Romans enjoyed no more than the name of victory, in every other
respect they were as good as defeated. The headquarters of both
consuls were polluted with blood; the one had murdered his son, the
other had devoted himself to death; their whole army was massacred,
their hastati and principes killed; the companies both in front of and
behind the standards had suffered enormous losses; the triarii in the
end saved the situation. The Latin troops, it was true, were equally
cut up, but Latium and the Volsci could supply reinforcements more
quickly than Rome. If, therefore, they approved, he would at once call
out the fighting men from the Latin and Volscian peoples and march
back with an army to Capua, and would take the Romans unawares; a
battle was the last thing they were expecting. He despatched
misleading letters throughout Latium and the Volscian country, those
who had not been engaged in the battle being the more ready to believe
what he said, and a hastily levied body of militia, drawn from all
quarters, was got together. This army was met by the consul at
Trifanum, a place between Sinuessa and Menturnae. Without waiting even
to choose the sites for their camps, the two armies piled their
baggage, fought and finished the war, for the Latins were so utterly
worsted that when the consul with his victorious army was preparing to
ravage their territory, they made a complete surrender and the
Campanians followed their example. Latium and Capua were deprived of
their territory. The Latin territory, including that of Privernum,
together with the Falernian, which had belonged to the Campanians as
far as the Volturnus, was distributed amongst the Roman plebs. They
received two jugera a head in the Latin territory, their allotment
being made up by three-quarters of a jugerum in the Privernate
district; in the Falernian district they received three entire jugera,
the additional quarter being allowed owing to the distance. The
Laurentes, amongst the Latins and the aristocracy of the Campanians,
were not thus penalised because they had not revolted. An order was
made for the treaty with the Laurentes to be renewed, and it has since
been renewed annually on the tenth day after the Latin Festival. The
Roman franchise was conferred on the aristocracy of Campania, and a
brazen tablet recording the fact was fastened up in Rome in the temple
of Castor, and the people of Campania were ordered to pay them
each-they numbered 1600 in all-the sum of 450 denarii annually." -
Livy, History of Rome 8.11


Today is the third day of the Isia, in honor of the Goddess Isis.


PERSON OF THE DAY - TERMINUS

The Roman deity protecting the boundaries between the fields.
Actually, the stone that marked the border was thought to be a sacred
object with divine powers. Each year, on February 23, the feast of the
Terminalia was held. At this ceremony people poured sacrificial blood
over the stone and placed wreaths of flowers to renew the powers of
the stone. Later, people began to regard the stone as a god.

The god Iuppiter, who also protected the borders as Iuppiter Terminus
or Terminalus, was closely connected with Terminus. Legend has it that
Terminus was the only god who did not give way to Iuppiter when He
moved into His temple on the Capitol. In this temple, a boundary stone
was worshipped as the stone of Terminus. It was also believed that a
curse was placed on anyone who would remove a boundary stone.


A thought from Plutarch:

"As, therefore, the storm that prevents a sailor from putting into port is more dangerous than that which does not allow him to sail, so those storms of the soul are more serious which do not allow a man to compose or to calm his disturbed reason; but pilotless and without ballast, in confusion and aimless wandering, rushing headlong in oblique and reeling courses, he suffers a terrible shipwreck, as it were, and ruins his life. Consequently for this reason also it is worse to be sick in soul than in body; for men afflicted in body only suffer, but those afflicted in soul both suffer and do ill." - Moralia, "Animine an corporis affectiones sint peiores" 4


Valete bene!

Cato

Salvete,
 
Qvi desiderat pacem praeparat bellvm - Who desires peace [should] prepare [for] war
 
Valete,
 
Ti. Galerius Paulinus

Salvete Consuls et Tribunes,
 
Could you please post an updated list of all candidates as of this date.
 
Thank You.
 
Valete,
 
Ti. Galerius Paulinus

M. Hortensia omnibus spd;
Terminus isn't a person he is a god, a very ancient Roman deity. Roger D. Woodard has written a fascinating book, "Indo-European Sacred Space; Vedic and Roman Cult" Unviversity of Illinois, 2005

This book ties Roman Cult to ancient Vedic, yes Dumezil was correct in so many ways.
Here read a review at the Bryn Mawr Classical Review
http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2007/2007-02-36.html
bene valete in pacem deorum
M. Hortensia Maior

>
>
> PERSON OF THE DAY - TERMINUS
>
> The Roman deity protecting the boundaries between the fields.
> Actually, the stone that marked the border was thought to be a sacred
> object with divine powers. Each year, on February 23, the feast of the
> Terminalia was held. At this ceremony people poured sacrificial blood
> over the stone and placed wreaths of flowers to renew the powers of
> the stone. Later, people began to regard the stone as a god.
>
> The god Iuppiter, who also protected the borders as Iuppiter Terminus
> or Terminalus, was closely connected with Terminus. Legend has it that
> Terminus was the only god who did not give way to Iuppiter when He
> moved into His temple on the Capitol. In this temple, a boundary stone
> was worshipped as the stone of Terminus. It was also believed that a
> curse was placed on anyone who would remove a boundary stone.
>
>
> A thought from Plutarch:
>
> "As, therefore, the storm that prevents a sailor from putting into port is more dangerous than that which does not allow him to sail, so those storms of the soul are more serious which do not allow a man to compose or to calm his disturbed reason; but pilotless and without ballast, in confusion and aimless wandering, rushing headlong in oblique and reeling courses, he suffers a terrible shipwreck, as it were, and ruins his life. Consequently for this reason also it is worse to be sick in soul than in body; for men afflicted in body only suffer, but those afflicted in soul both suffer and do ill." - Moralia, "Animine an corporis affectiones sint peiores" 4
>
>
> Valete bene!
>
> Cato
>

Julia, that sounds like a beautiful ritual! Thank you so much for sharing it with us and for describing it so vividly. Reading it, I felt as if I were there. It was like sharing in a moment of being touched by the divine.

Paulla Corva Gaudialis

Cato Maiori sal.

Salve,

Perhaps that is why I wrote "The Roman deity..."

Vale,

Cato

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "rory12001" <rory12001@...> wrote:
>
>
> M. Hortensia omnibus spd;
> Terminus isn't a person he is a god, a very ancient Roman deity. Roger D. Woodard has written a fascinating book, "Indo-European Sacred Space; Vedic and Roman Cult" Unviversity of Illinois, 2005
>
> This book ties Roman Cult to ancient Vedic, yes Dumezil was correct in so many ways.
> Here read a review at the Bryn Mawr Classical Review
> http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2007/2007-02-36.html
> bene valete in pacem deorum
> M. Hortensia Maior
> >
> >
> > PERSON OF THE DAY - TERMINUS
> >
> > The Roman deity protecting the boundaries between the fields.
> > Actually, the stone that marked the border was thought to be a sacred
> > object with divine powers. Each year, on February 23, the feast of the
> > Terminalia was held. At this ceremony people poured sacrificial blood
> > over the stone and placed wreaths of flowers to renew the powers of
> > the stone. Later, people began to regard the stone as a god.
> >
> > The god Iuppiter, who also protected the borders as Iuppiter Terminus
> > or Terminalus, was closely connected with Terminus. Legend has it that
> > Terminus was the only god who did not give way to Iuppiter when He
> > moved into His temple on the Capitol. In this temple, a boundary stone
> > was worshipped as the stone of Terminus. It was also believed that a
> > curse was placed on anyone who would remove a boundary stone.
> >
> >
> > A thought from Plutarch:
> >
> > "As, therefore, the storm that prevents a sailor from putting into port is more dangerous than that which does not allow him to sail, so those storms of the soul are more serious which do not allow a man to compose or to calm his disturbed reason; but pilotless and without ballast, in confusion and aimless wandering, rushing headlong in oblique and reeling courses, he suffers a terrible shipwreck, as it were, and ruins his life. Consequently for this reason also it is worse to be sick in soul than in body; for men afflicted in body only suffer, but those afflicted in soul both suffer and do ill." - Moralia, "Animine an corporis affectiones sint peiores" 4
> >
> >
> > Valete bene!
> >
> > Cato
> >
>

The list of plebeian candidates will be posted at the end of the candidacy period on Nov. 3. Posted now would be premature since there are still slightly more than three days for Plebeians to declare there candidacy for tribune or aedile.

Aureliane

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, Timothy or Stephen Gallagher <spqr753@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> Salvete Consuls et Tribunes,
>
>
>
> Could you please post an updated list of all candidates as of this date.
>
>
>
> Thank You.
>
>
>
> Valete,
>
>
>
> Ti. Galerius Paulinus
>

Cn. Lentulus magister aranearius Quiritibus sal.


I gladly announce that our Album Civium is working again!

I have also good news about the electoral tools of our website, they are undergoing a serious testing, and they do not have any problem so far, so we have good chances for an unproblematice election time!


VALETE!

Cn. Cornelius Lentulus
MAGISTER ARANEARIUS
CUSTOS

 A. Tullia Scholastica Cn. Cornelio Lentulo suo quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.
 

Cn. Lentulus magister aranearius Quiritibus sal.

I gladly announce that our Album Civium is working again!

    ATS:  Eugepae!  Optimé, et plus quam optimé!  Et bene operatur (nam aliquas probationes feci), etsi non puto illos in tribu meo eosdem quam antea esse.  

I have also good news about the electoral tools of our website, they are undergoing a serious testing, and they do not have any problem so far, so we have good chances for an unproblematice election time!

    ATS:  Iterum optimé!  Retractavitne aliquis centurias?  Et quid de rebus censoriis?   Licet; vobis omnibus gratulor!  

VALETE!

Cn. Cornelius Lentulus
MAGISTER ARANEARIUS
CUSTOS

  Vale, et valete.  
    

Cato omnibus if foro SPD

Salvete omnes!

Hodiernus dies est pridie Kalendas Novembris; haec dies comitialis est.


"The war having been thus brought to a close, and rewards and
punishments having been meted out to each according to their deserts,
T. Manlius returned to Rome. There seems good reason for believing
that only the older men went out to meet him on his arrival, the
younger part of the population showed their aversion and detestation
for him not only then but all through his life. The Antiates made
incursions into the territories of Ostia, Ardea, and Solonia. Manlius'
health prevented him from prosecuting this war, so he nominated L.
Papirius Crassus as Dictator, and he named L. Papirius Cursor as his
Master of the Horse. No important action was taken by the Dictator
against the Antiates, though he had a permanent camp in their country
for some months. This year had been signalised by victories over many
powerful nations, and still more by the noble death of one consul, and
the stern, never-to-be-forgotten exercise of authority on the part of
the other. It was followed by the consulship of Titus Aemilius
Mamercinus and Q. Publilius Philo. They did not meet with similar
materials out of which to build a reputation, nor did they study the
interests of their country so much as their own or those of the
political factions in the republic. The Latins resumed hostilities to
recover the domain they had lost, but were routed in the Fenectane
plains and driven out of their camp. There Publilius, who had achieved
this success, received into surrender the Latin cities who had lost
their men there, whilst Aemilius led his army to Pedum. This place was
defended by a combined force from Tibur, Praeneste, and Velitrae, and
help was also sent from Lanuvium and Antium. In the various battles
the Romans had the advantage, but at the city itself, and at the camp
of the allied forces which adjoined the city, their work had to be
done all over again. The consul suddenly abandoned the war before it
was brought to a close, because he heard that a triumph had been
decreed to his colleague, and he actually returned to Rome to demand a
triumph before he had won a victory. The senate were disgusted at this
selfish conduct, and made him understand that he would have no triumph
till Pedum had either been taken or surrendered. This produced a
complete estrangement between Aemilius and the senate, and he
thenceforth administered his consulship in the spirit and temper of a
seditious tribune. As long as he was consul he perpetually traduced
the senate to the people, without any opposition from his colleague,
who himself also belonged to the plebs. Material for his charges was
afforded by the dishonest allocation of the Latin and Falernian domain
amongst the plebs, and after the senate, desirous of restricting the
consuls' authority, had issued an order for the nomination of a
Dictator to act against the Latins, Aemilius, whose turn it then was
to have the fasces, nominated his own colleague, who named Junius
Brutus as his Master of the Horse. He made his Dictatorship popular by
delivering incriminatory harangues against the senate and also by
carrying three measures which were directed against the nobility and
were most advantageous to the plebs. One was that the decisions of the
plebs should be binding on all the Quirites; the second, that measures
which were brought before the Assembly of centuries should be
sanctioned by the patricians before being finally put to the vote; the
third, that since it had come about that both censors could legally be
appointed from the plebs, one should in any case be always chosen from
that order. The patricians considered that the consuls and the
Dictator had done more to injure the State by their domestic policy
than to strengthen its power by their successes in the field." - Livy,
History of Rome 8.12

The Isia continues in honor of the Goddess Isis.


Today is, of course the celebration of the Eve of All Saints (or
Hallows) --- All Hallows' Eve --- Hallowe'en.

In the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, the year officially ended on
October 31; the Celts believed that on the night before the new year,
the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became
blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it
was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In
addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the
presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or
Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people
entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies
were an important source of comfort and direction during the long,
dark winter.

The Celts would wander the streets in costumes - often animal masks or pale mud - so that the spirits of the dead would not know they were alive and torment them; food was left in bowls at their doors so that the dead would stop there and not enter into their houses. During the celebration, the Celts attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the
people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic
deities. By AD 43 the Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic
territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the
Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the
traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans
traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a
day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol
of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into
Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that
is practiced today on Halloween.

From Plutach:

"O mortal men! Why do we assert that virtue is unteachable, and thus make it non-existent? For if learning begets virtue, the prevention of learning destroys it. Yet truly, as Plato says, just because a foot of verse is out of measure with the lyre and fails to harmonize with it, brother does not war with brother, nor does friend quarrel with friend, nor do states conceive hatred toward other states and wreak upon each other the most extreme injuries and suffer them as well; Dnor can anyone say that civil strife has ever broken out in a state over a question of accent, as, for instance, whether we should read TElchines or TelchInes, nor that a quarrel has ever arisen in a household between husband and wife as to which is the warp and which the woof. Yet, for all that, no one, unless he has received instruction, would attempt to handle a loom or a book or a lyre, though he would suffer no great harm if he did so, but he is merely afraid of becoming ridiculous (for, as Heraclitus says, 'It is better to conceal ignorance'); but everyone thinks that without instruction he will handle successfully a home, a marriage, a commonwealth, a magistracy — though he has not learned how to get along with wife, or servant, or fellow-citizen, or subject, or ruler!" - Moralia, "Can Virtue be Taught?" 2

Valete bene...and Happy Hallowe'en!

Cato

Mag. Lentulo s.d.

Excellent news! Thanks for all your efforts, Lentule.

Vale bene,


Albucius pr.

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "Cn. Cornelius Lentulus" <cn_corn_lent@...> wrote:
>
> Cn. Lentulus magister aranearius Quiritibus sal.
>
>
> I gladly announce that our Album Civium is working again!
>
> I have also good news about the electoral tools of our website, they are undergoing a serious testing, and they do not have any problem so far, so we have good chances for an unproblematice election time!
>
>
> VALETE!
>
> Cn. Cornelius Lentulus
> MAGISTER ARANEARIUS
> CUSTOS
>

Maior Lentulo quiritibusque spd;
euge euge to our dedicated webmsater Cn. Cornelius Lentulus and our CIO C. Curius Saturninus, they had to move NR to a new server and reconfigure the Album Civium and the electoral tools: no small task.

They do this work behind-the-scenes, so no one sees the amout of time and dedication they put into Nova Roma. I want to thank them both for all their hard work and dedication.
optime vale
M. Hortensia Maior

--:

>
> >
> > A. Tullia Scholastica Cn. Cornelio Lentulo suo quiritibus bonae voluntatis
> > S.P.D.
> >
> >
> > Cn. Lentulus magister aranearius Quiritibus sal.
> >
> > I gladly announce that our Album Civium is working again!
> >
> > ATS: Eugepae! Optimé, et plus quam optimé! Et bene operatur (nam
> > aliquas probationes feci), etsi non puto illos in tribu meo eosdem quam antea
> > esse.
> >
> > I have also good news about the electoral tools of our website, they are
> > undergoing a serious testing, and they do not have any problem so far, so we
> > have good chances for an unproblematice election time!
> >
> > ATS: Iterum optimé! Retractavitne aliquis centurias? Et quid de rebus
> > censoriis? Licet; vobis omnibus gratulor!
> >
> > VALETE!
> >
> > Cn. Cornelius Lentulus
> > MAGISTER ARANEARIUS
> > CUSTOS
> >
> > Vale, et valete.
> >
>

Salve et salvete,

May it be known that I, Appius Galerius Aurelianus,completely support the candidacy of C.Petronius Dexter for the office of Tribunus Plebis.I hereby urge all of my friends and supporters to vote for my friend C.Petronius Dexter in this election.

Vale et valete,
Appius Galerius Aurelianus
Tribunus Plebis
Prefectus Regio Georgia/Alabama
Scibae TGP