M. Moravius Piscinus cultoribus Deorum et omnibus salutem plurimam dicit: Di vos salvas et servatas volunt.

Hodie est Kalendae Februariae; haec dies nefastus est: DIE QUINTI TE KALO, IUNO COVELLA: dies natalis aedes Vestae in Foro; Iunoni Sospitae Matri Regioni; natalis aedes Iovis Tonantis

"On the Kalends of February when Sirius begins to set, then arrives, with hail, Auster, and Eurinus winds." ~ Columella, De Re Rutica 9.2.5


Juno Februa

The month of February is sacred to Juno Februa, whose temple was located on the Esquiline Hill near the Temple of Juno Lucina. Februa is a Goddess of purification, and much of the month is devoted to purification rites in preparation for the coming of the New Year in March. In the religio Romana purification has mainly to do with fulfilling one's obligations to your ancestors. Thus we will see in the month of Februarius a parentalia performed for ancestors, and the Feralia that is conducted for other Manes, while festivals for Terminus and Fornicalia, ancient rites, have much to do with the ancerstral worship of Di parenti, and of course there are the very special purification rites of Lupercalia and Quirinalia that are thought by some to extend back to a period when Rome was still divided among the Latins on the Palatine Hill and Sabines on the Quirinal Hill.


Juno Sospita

"At the start of the month, they say, that Juno the Saviour (Sospita),
Neighbouring the Phrygian Mother, was honoured with new shrines.
If you ask where those temples, dedicated to the Goddess
On the Kalends, are now, they are fallen with the lapse of time."
~ Ovidius Naso, Fasti 2.55-58


AUC 556 / 197 BCE: Defeat of the Gallic tribes and vow of a Temple for Juno Sospita

"When they had raised the required force and completed all the necessary business, both sacred and secular, both the consuls left for Gaul. Cornelius took the direct road to the Insubres, who in conjunction with the Cenomani were in arms; Q. Minucius bent his course to the left side of Italy towards the Adriatic, and marching his army to Genua began operations in the direction of Liguria. Two fortified towns, Clastidium and Litubium, both belonging to the Ligurians, and two of their communities, the Celeiates and the Cerdiciates, surrendered. All the tribes on this side the Po were now reduced except the Boii in Gaul and the Ilvates in Liguria. It was stated that 15 fortified towns and 20,000 men surrendered.

"From there he led his legions into the country of the Boii, whose army had not long before crossed the Po. They had heard that the consuls intended to attack with their united legions, and in order that they too might consolidate their strength by union they had formed a junction with the Insubres and Cenomani. When a report reached them that one of the consuls was firing the fields of the Boii, a sharp difference of opinion arose; the Boii demanded that all should render assistance to those who were hard pressed, the Insubres declared that they would not leave their own country defenceless. Their forces were accordingly divided; the Boii went off to protect their country, the Insubres and Cenomani took up a position on the bank of the Mincius. On the same river, two miles lower down, Cornelius fixed his camp. From there he sent to make enquiries in Brixia, their capital. and in their villages, and from what he learnt he was quite satisfied that it was not with the sanction of their elders that the younger men had taken up arms, nor had the national council authorised any assistance being given to the revolted Insubrians. On learning this he invited their chiefs to a conference and tried to induce them to break with the Insubres and either return home or go over to the Romans. He was unable to gain their consent to the latter proposal, but they gave him assurances that they would take no part in the fighting, unless occasion should arise, in which case they would assist the Romans. The Insubres were kept in ignorance of this compact, but they felt somewhat suspicious as to the intentions of their allies, and in forming their line they did not venture to entrust them with a position on either wing lest they should abandon their ground through treachery and involve the whole army in disaster. They were accordingly stationed in the rear as a reserve. At the outset of the battle the consul vowed a temple to Juno Sospita in case the enemy were routed that day, and the shouts of the soldiers assured their commander that they would enable him to fulfil his vow. Then they charged, and the Insubres did not stand against the first shock. Some authors say that the Cenomani attacked them from behind while the battle was going on and that the twofold attack threw them into complete disorder, 35,000 men being killed and 5200 made prisoners, including the Carthaginian general Hamilcar, the prime instigator of the war. 130 standards were taken and numerous wagons. Those of the Gauls who had followed the Insubres in their revolt surrendered to the Romans." ~ Titus Livius 32.29;30


AUC 663 /90 CE: Caecilia Metella and the Temple of Juno Sospita

During the time of the Marsian War, Caecilia Metella, daughter of Quintus, dreamt that since the women of Rome had taken to using the Temple of Juno Sospita as a public lavatory, and because a bitch had whelped her pups at the foot of Her statue, the Goddess had abandoned the temple, and also planned to leave Rome, prophesizing a series of disasters, all of which came true. Caecilia asked Juno Sospita to stay. She cleansed the temple and restored it, inviting the Goddess to remain, and thereby saved Rome. ~ M. Tullius Cicero, De Divinatione 1.99


Juno Sospita, the Savior, was the main deity of Lanuvium. She is generally depicted armed with a shield and spear, Her long gown covered by a goat skin that is drawn up so as its horns appear on Her head. In 338 BCE Lanuvium was one of the Latin cities defeated by Rome, but in surrendering its people were granted Roman citizenship and their temples restored to them, meaning, too, that these became Roman temples under authority of Roman pontifes (Livy 8.14). The Temple of Juno Sospita at Lanuvium is mentioned in various instances by Livy, drawing upon the Libri Pontifici, where the decemviri sacris faciudis, on the advice of the Sibylline Oracles, recommended sacrifices be offered to Her during the war with Hannibal (Livy 21.62; 22.1; 24.10; 29.14). After 197 BCE She was given a temple residence in Rome itself, just as the junones of other Goddesses had been brought to Rome from Veii, Carthage, and elsewhere, and Her temple Lanuvium is not heard of again. Ovid says that a temple for Her once stood near the Temple of Magna Mater, which was on the Palatine, but that in his day no such temple for Juno, or else Diana, stood there. There was, however, a Temple of Juno Sospita in the Forum Holitorium. Perhaps he meant it was the temple of Magna Mater adjoining Hers. Magna Mater who had a temple next to that of Juno Sospita in the Forum Holitorium after She, ave tii oeribn, s her g arrived, Kuvuus tells how Her barge become low in the water, eve beached on embankment. Like the Vestal Virgins at Rome and Lavinium, at Lanuvium Juno Seispita Mater Regina was served by maidens. Into Her sacred grove at Lanuvium at several times in a year, the virgins Junoni brought Her barley cakes while they remained blindfolded. If these were accepted and eaten by serpents that lived in Her sacred grove, it was interpreted as a sign of the maidens being virgins and the land fertile, both signs of abundance for the coming year (J. G. Frazer, Publii Ovidii Nasonis Fastorum Libri, 1929; Vol. 1, pp.296-297).


AUC 40 / 713 BCE: Dedication of the Temple of Vesta in the Forum

On this day too the grove of Alernus is crowded,
Near where Tiber, from afar, meets the ocean waves.
At Numa's sanctuary, and the Thunderer's on the Capitol,
And on the summit of Jove's citadel, a sheep is sacrificed.
~ Ovidius Naso, Fasti 2.67-70

Alernus was an ancient and obscure river god whose sacred grove was near where the Tiber emptied into the sea. In his grove dwelt the nymph Cranae, whom Ovid confused with Carna and Cardea (Ovid, Fasti 6.105-106. Numa's sanctuary refers to the Temple of Vesta.

"Furthermore it is said that Numa built the Temple of Vesta, where the perpetual fire was kept, of a circular form, not in imitation of the shape of the earth, believing Vesta to be the earth, but of the entire universe, at the centre of which the Pythagoreans place the element of fire and call it Vesta and Monad. And they hold that the earth is neither motionless nor situated in the centre of surrounding space, but that it revolves in a circle about the central fire, not being one of the most important, nor even one of the primary elements of the universe. This is the conception, we are told, which Plato also, in his old age, had of the earth, namely that it is established in a secondary space, and that the central and sovereign space is reserved for some other and nobler body." ~ Plutarch, Life of Numa 11.1-2

"[Numa] also chose virgin priestesses for Vesta. This priesthood originated at Alba and was not therefor alien to the founder of Rome. So that these priestesses should be able to devote their whole time to temple service, he provided them with an income from public funds; he conferred a special sanctity on them by ritual obligations, including the keeping of their virginity." ~ Titus Livius 1.20.3

"At first, they say, Numa consecrated Gegania and Verania, followed by Canuleia and Tarpeia. Later Servius added two more, making the number six that has been maintained up to our present time.It was ordained by the king that the sacred virgins should vow themselves to chastity for thirty years; during the first decadethey are to learn their duties, during the second to perform the duties they have learned, and during the third to teach their duties to others. Then the thirty years being now passed, any one who wishes has liberty to marry and adopt a different mode of life, after laying down her sacred office. We are told however that few have welcomed the indulgence, and that those who did so were not happy, but were a prey to repentance and dejection for the rest of their lives, thereby inspiring the rest with religious fear, so that until old age and death they remained steadfast in their virginity. Numa gave them great honors, among which was the right to make a will during the lifetime of their father and to deal with their other affairs without the need for a guardian, like mothers of three children. When they appear in public, the fasces are carried before them, and if they accidentally meet a criminal on his way to execution, his life is spared; but the virgin must make oath that the meeting was involuntary and fortuitous, and not by design. He who passes under the litter on which they are borne, is put to death." ~ Plutarch, Life of Numa 10.1-4


"Thunderous Jupiter Tonans, I pray that finally You may spare me" (Valerius Flaccus Argonautica 4.474-5).

Finally, then, Ovid refers to the Temple for Jupiter Tonans that was dedicated on the Capitoline Hill by Augustus after he was narrowly missed by a lightning bolt while campaigning in Hispania. On the Capitoline Hill, too, Ovid says that a sheep was sacrificed referring to the Kalends of each month, but it is not a sacrifice to Jupiter Tonans to which he refers.

On the Kalends of each month a sheep was sacrificed to Juno by a Pontifex Minor at the Curia Calabra (Macrobius, Saturnalia 1.15.18). Then the Pontifices announced the day on which the Nones would fall, always eight days before the Ides. Thus it would either be called out, "die quint te kalo, Iuno Covells" or else, "Septimi die te kalo, Iuno Covella" to mark the Nones falling on the fifth or the seventh day of the month (Varro, Linga Latina 6.27).


Our thought for today is from Epicurus, Vatican Sayings 71:

"Question each of your desires: 'What will happen to me if that which this desire seeks is achieved, and what if it is not?"

M. Moravius Piscinus cultoribus Deorum et omnibus salutem plurimam dicit: Di vos inculumes custodiant

Hodie est ante diem IIII Nonas Februarias; haec dies fastus aterque est: sacra Junonis Februae

The month of February is devoted to purification in preparation for the New Year that begins in March. Much of the focus of ancient religion concerned anxiety over pollution and how to purify one who was ritually impure. Purification in the religio Romana is performed using "februa" - such things as water, fire, laurel, pine, vervain, spelt, sulfur, wool, and the hides of sacrificial animals - in purification rituals. That is, use of any februa is always attended with prayer and sacrifice.

An ancient law of Numa Pompilius said, "Let no paelex touch the altar of Juno (or, enter the temple of Juno); if she touches it, let her, with her hair unbound, offer up a female lamb to Juno (Fest. P. 222)."

Again, "If a boy should strike his parent, and afterward he then wailed in sorrow for his misdeed, let the boy offer sacrifices to his divine ancestors (Fest. F. 230)." Or, "If a daughter-in-law, let her perform the sacrifices for the divine women among [her husband's] honored ancestors (Fest. F. 230)."

In the three above examples, a person was made ritually impure by his or her actions, and was then required to perform a sacrifice as a means of purification. Shedding blood would always make a person impure. Even soldiers, returning from campaigns, had to perform purification before re-entering the City pomoerium lest they pollute the sacred precincts. Manslaughter, inadvertantly causing the death of another, was thus a religious offense as well as a civil crime. "In the laws of Numa is a caution, that if one imprudently kills another man, for the life he has taken may he offer public sacrifice of a ram (Serv. in Verg. ecl., 4, 43)." Thus, purification in the religio Romana always involves a sacrifice.

To begin the month of purification, one begins by offering a sacrifice to Juno Februa. On the Kalends Romans would place roasted spelt and salt on their doorsills, outside the door, along with offerings of milk, honey, and water, perhaps a lighted lamp. This would be coupled by washing down the front door with water, and "wiping" it with februa, as well as, on the houses of flamines and other sacerdotes, by hanging a wreath of laurel. This ritual honored the Juno of the minor goddess who guarded the door of the house from all evils, whether disease, false rumors, or the jealousy of neighbors from entering the family home. Think of the home as the temple of the family. One starts the month of purification outside the house, at the front door representing the boundary as a whole, and then would proceed over the weeks ahead to clean and purify the rest of the home.


DIES ATER

"Why do they reckon the day that follows the Kalends, the Nones, or the Ides as unsuitable for leaving home or travel?

"Is it, as most authorities think and as Livy records, that on the day after the Ides of Quintilis, which they now call Julius, the military tribunes led out the army, and were vanquished in battle by the Gauls at the river Allia and lost the City? (18 July 390 BCE.) But when the day after the Ides had come to be regarded as ill-omened, did superstition, as is its wont, extend the custom further, and involve in the same circumspection the day after the Nones and the day after the Kalends as well?

"Or does this refer to many my irrational assumptions? For it was on a different day that they were defeated in battle, a day which they call dies Alliensis from the river, and makes a dread day of expiation; and although they have many ill-omened days, they do not observe them under the same names in each month, but each in the month in which it occurs; and it is thus quite incredible that the superstition should have attached itself simply to all days that follow immediately after the Nones or the Kalends.

"Consider the following analogy. Just as they have dedicated the first month to the Gods of Olympus, and the second, in which they perform certain rites of purification and sacrifice to the departed, to the gods of the lower world, so also in regard to the days of the month they have establish three as festive and holy (Kalends, Nonse, and Idus), as I have stated, which are, as it were, fundamental and sovereign days, but the days which follow immediately they have dedicated to the spirits and the dead, and have come to regard them as ill-omened and unsuitable for business. In fact, the Greeks worship the Gods on the day of the New Moon (like the Kalends); the next day they have duly assigned to the heroes and spirits, and the second bowl of wine is mixed in honor of the heroes and heroines. And speaking generally, time is a sort of number; and the beginning number is divine, for it is the Monad. But after it is the dyad, antagonistic to the beginning number, and the first of the even numbers. The even numbers are imperfect, incomplete, and indeterminate, just as the odd numbers are determinate, completing, and perfect. Wherefore in like manner, the Nones succeed the Kalends as an interval of five days and the Ides succeed the Nones at an interval of nine days. For the odd numbers define the beginnings, but the even numbers, since they occur after the beginnings, have no position nor power; therefore on these days they do not begin any business and travel." ~ Plutarch, Roman Question 25

"Verrius Flaccus, in the fourth book of his work De Verborum Significatu writes that the days immediately following the Kalends, Nones, and Ides, which the vulgar ignorantly declare to be nefastus, are properly called and considered ill-omened for this reason: When the City, he says, had been recovered from the Senonian Gauls, Lucius Atilius stated in the Senate that Quintus Sulpicius, tribune of the soldiers, when on the eve of fighting against the Gauls at the Allia, offered sacrifice in anticipation of the battle on the day after the Ides; that the army of the Roman people was thereupon cut to pieces, and three days later the whole City, except the Capital, was taken. Also many other senators said that they remembered that whenever with a view to waging war a magistrate of the Roman people had sacrificed on the day after the Kalends, Nones, or Ides, in the very next battle of the war the State had suffered a disaster. Then the Senate referred the matter to the pontifices, that they might take what action they saw fit. The pontifices decreed that no sacrifice would properly be made on those days." ~ Gellius, Noctium Atticarum 5.17.1-2


AUC 696 / 57 BCE: Clodius impeaches Milo for employing gladiators

"On the 2nd of February Milo appeared for trial. Pompey came to support him. Marcellus spoke on being called upon by me. We came off with flying colours. The case was adjourned to the 7th." ~ M Tullius Cicero, Epistulum ad Quintum 2.3

Clodius was running for the office of Aedilis. One of his opponents was Marcellus, who helped defend Milo in this case. Clodius' objective was really to lend some embarrassment to Cicero, Pompey, and Milo, as the case he presented against Milo had little merit.While he was able to rouse the crowds to his favor, he apparently got the worst of it in the trial.

"After this Clodius attained the aedileship in the year of Philippus and Marcellinus; for, being anxious to avoid the lawsuit, he had got himself elected by a political combination. He immediately instituted proceedings against Milo for providing himself with gladiators, actually charging him with the very thing he was doing himself and for which he was likely to be brought to trial. He did this, not in the expectation of convicting Milo, inasmuch as the latter had many strong champions, among them Cicero and Pompey, but in order that under this pretext he might not only carry on a campaign against Milo but also insult his backers. For example, the following was one of his devices. He had instructed his clique that whenever he should ask them in assemblies: 'Who was it that did or said so-and so?' they should all cry out: 'Pompey!' Then on several occasions he would suddenly ask about everything that could be taken amiss in Pompey, either in the way of physical peculiarities or any other respect, touching upon such topics individually, one at a time, as if he were not speaking of him particularly. Thereupon, as usually happens in such cases, some would start up and others would join in with them, crying 'Pompey!' and there was much jeering. Now Pompey could not control himself and keep quiet, nor would he stoop to a trick like that of Clodius, and so he grew exceedingly angry, yet could not stir; thus nominally Milo was the defendant, but in reality Pompey was being convicted without even offering a defence. For Clodius, in order to embarrass him the more, would not allow the lex curiata to be introduced; and until that was enacted no other serious business could be transacted in the state or any suit instituted.

"For a season, then, Milo served as an excuse for their taunts and assassinations. But about this time some portents occurred: on the Alban Mount a small temple of Juno, set on a kind of table facing the east, was turned around toward the north; a blaze of light darted from the south across to the north; a wolf entered the city; an earthquake occurred; some of the citizens were killed by thunderbolts; in the Latin territory a subterranean tumult was heard; and the soothsayers, being anxious to find a remedy, said that some divinity was angry with them because some temples or consecrated sites were being used for residence. Then Clodius substituted Cicero for Milo and not only attacked him vigorously in a speech because the site of the house he had built upon was dedicated to Liberty, but even went to it once, with the intention of razing it to the ground; but he did not do so, as he was prevented by Milo. Cicero, however, was as angry with him as if he had actually accomplished his purpose, and kept making accusations. Finally, taking with him Milo and some tribunes, he ascended the Capitol and took down the tablets set up by Clodius to commemorate his exile. This time Clodius came up with his brother Gaius, a praetor, and took them away from him, but later he watched for a time when Clodius was out of town, and going up to the Capitol again, took them and carried them home. After this occurrence no quarter was shown on either side, but they abused and slandered each other as much as they could, without refraining from the basest means. The one declared that the tribuneship of Clodius had been contrary to the laws and that therefore his official acts were invalid, and the other that Cicero's exile had been justly decreed and his return unlawfully voted." ~ Dio Cassius 39.18-21


Our thought for today comes from the Discourses of Epictetus 3.10.2:

Let sleep not come upon thy languid eyes
Before each daily action thou hast scann'd;
What's done amiss, what done, what left undone;
From first to last examine all, and then
Blame what is wrong, in what is right rejoice.

Salvete Quirites


I, Marcus Arminius Maior, as a Lictor of Nova Roma, hereby witness the appointments of
Marcus Lucretius Agricola as Augur publicus,
Lucia Iulia Aquila as Sacerdos Veneris Genetricis,
Gaia Aurelia Ibera as Sacerdos Vestalis and
Sibylla Ambrosia Fulvia as Sacerdos Mithrae of Nova Roma.
As a member of the Comitia Curiata I wish them good fortune in their offices and in their work on behalf of the Religio Romana.


Vale
Marcus Arminius Maior
Lictor Curiatus


____________________________________________________________________________________
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Iulia Petronio sal,

"petronius_dexter" <jfarnoud94@...> wrote:

> Harry Potter's cloak of invisibility. This cloak is Welsh it is more Roman, amica, to wear the helmet of Hades to become invisible. :o)
>
> With this helmet Perseus can approach the terrible Medusa. In English according to Wikipaedia you call it: Cap of Hades, Helm of Hades, cap of invisibility or Helm of darkness... its name is Kynee.

Ah yes I see! But then if I donned the aidos kynee I would get "hat hair" or in this case "helmet hair" and i do not wish to flatten my golden tresses! *laughs*

Funny you should bring that up - a few days ago i took some photos of Athena's shield at the Parthenon and revisited the Perseus Medusa story for a future project:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/l_j_a/sets/72157622422077289/


Tibi gratias, amice, valeque,

Julia

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "petronius_dexter" <jfarnoud94@...> wrote:
>
> C. Petronius L. Iuliae s.p.d.,
>
> > My vivid imagination is overloaded with an image of both of you in burqas donning beards wearing Klingon cloaks that reverse to Harry Potter's cloak of invisibility...
>
> Harry Potter's cloak of invisibility. This cloak is Welsh it is more Roman, amica, to wear the helmet of Hades to become invisible. :o)
>
> With this helmet Perseus can approach the terrible Medusa. In English according to Wikipaedia you call it: Cap of Hades, Helm of Hades, cap of invisibility or Helm of darkness... its name is Kynee.
>
> Optime vale.
>
> C. Petronius Dexter
> Arcoiali scribebat
> a.d. III Kal. Feb. P. Memmio K. Fabio II coss.
>

Salve amice!

Felices natalis!

Vale,

Julia

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "marcushoratius" <MHoratius@...> wrote:
>
> M. Moravius Piscinus Horatianus Quiritibus et omnibus salutem plurimam dicit: Di vos inculumes custodiant
>
> Hodie est ante diem III Kalendas Februarias; haec dies nefastus est: feriae ex consulto senatus quod eo die ara Pacis Augustae dedicata; Delphinus incipit occidere, item Fidicula occidere, significat.
>
> Felices natalis Marce Corve ! Di tibi dent quaecumque optes.
> Today is the birthday of Tribunus Plebis Marcus Octavius Corvis, Sacerdos Iovis. We wish him well and the Gods may grant his desires.
>
>
> ARA PACIS AUGUSTAE
>
> Come, Peace, your graceful tresses wreathed
> With laurel of Actium: stay gently in this world.
> While we lack enemies, or cause for triumphs:
> You'll be a greater glory to our leaders than war.
> May the soldier be armed to defend against arms,
> And the trumpet blare only for processions.
> May the world far and near fear the sons of Aeneas,
> And let any land that feared Rome too little, love her.
> Priests, add incense to the peaceful flames,
> Let a shining sacrifice fall, brow wet with wine,
> And ask the Gods who favour pious prayer
> That the house that brings peace, may so endure.
> ~ P. Ovidius Naso, Fasti 1.711-722
>
>
> AUC 744 / 9 BCE: Dedication of the Ara Pacis Augustae
>
> "When I returned from Spain and Gaul, in the consulship of Tiberius Nero and Publius Quintilius [13 BCE], after successful operations in those provinces, the Senate voted in honor of my return the consecration of an altar to Pax Augusta in the Campus Martius, and on this altar it ordered the magistrates and priests and Vestal virgins to make annual sacrifice. Janus Quirinus, which our ancestors ordered to be closed whenever there was peace, secured by victory, throughout the whole domain of the Roman people on land and sea, and which, before my birth is recorded to have been closed but twice in all since the foundation of the city, the senate ordered to be closed thrice while I was princeps." ~ Augustus, Res Gestae Divi Augusti 12.2-13
>
> Commissioned by the Senate on 4 July 13 to honor Augustus upon his triumphal return from Gaul and Hispania, the Ara Pacis Augustae was dedicated nearly three and a half years later, celebrating the peace that Augustus had brought to the Empire through his many victories. The iconography of the altar and its surrounding enclosure depict the Pax Augusta as a result of the Pax Deorum attained by the Augustan Restoration of the religio Romana. The altar sits is atop a platform of eight steps. The altar itself is decorated with a band of friezes around the top that depicts a procession of sacrificial animals led by poppae and victimarii. Panels on the lower section are thought to have depicted a scene from a sacrifice, with another panel depicting the veiled Vestales Virgines. The inner portion of the enclosing wall has reliefs of bucraniae, wreathes, and paterae. The panels on the outside of the enclosing wall link the Augustan regime in the Pax Deorum in two ways. First in myth, on the front right panel, Aeneas finding a white sow is taken from Virgil's description in the Aeneid, thematically linking Augustus as the new founder of the religio Romana. On the front left panel, Mars and Faustulus flank the lupercal where Romulus and Remus are seen being suckled by a she-wolf. This scene was possibly intended to suggest Augustus as the new Founder of Rome. The rear left panel shows Tellus or Ceres or Pax, flanked by two Nymphae. Romulus and Remus sit on Her lap; thematically connecting Her with Livia, as Iulia Augusta, and mother of Tiberius and Drusus. Another panel on the right rear shows a female warrior, probably intended to depict Roma or Victoria Augusta, or Pax, sitting on a pile of captured enemy arms to represent the peace won through the victories of Augustus.
>
> On the long sides of the enclosing wall are panels of the imperial family, magistrates, and priests seen in a procession towards the western entrance to the altar. Augustus leads the procession on the south side. He is accompanied by his camillus and lictores, followed by flamines in their distinctive apexes. Next comes Agrippa capite velite accompanied by his son Gaius. Livia comes next, followed by Antonia Minor and her husband Drusus with their children. Nero Claudius Drusus is seen in a military uniform. He was consul and died that same year as the altar was dedicated. Next is Antonia Maior with her huband and children. The northern procession has pontifices, quindecemviri sacris faciundis, and the semptemviri epulones along with their assistants and other children of the imperial family. Much of the image of Augustan is now missing. In the original design he can be seen at the apex of priests and civil administrators. He leads the procession as both Pontifex Maximus and Imperator, with his lictors and the flamines maiores behind him, and as head of a dynasty posed by his several grandchildren on the panels. The entire scheme of the decoration is then to show Augustus as the one person who connects the fortunes of the Empire to the interests of the immortal Gods and how the Pax Deorum is dependent upon him offering sacrifice in fide to the Gods in the same manner as the legendary founders of Alba Longa and Rome.
>
> Museo dell'Ara Pacis http://en.arapacis.it/
> Best photos of the Ara Pacis at Bluffton University:
> http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/ara_pacis/section_contents.html
> Article and photos at Bluffton University:
> http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/italy/rome/arapacis/arapacis.html
>
>
> AUC 886 / 133 CE: Birth of Emperor M. Didius Salvius Julianus Severus
>
> "Meanwhile Didius Julianus, at once an insatiate money-getter and a wanton spendthrift, who was always eager for revolution and hence had been exiled by Commodus to his native city of Mediolanum, now, when he heard of the death of Pertinax, hastily made his way to the camp, and, standing at the gates of the enclosure, made bids to the soldiers for the rule over the Romans. Then ensued a most disgraceful business and one unworthy of Rome." ~ Cassius Dio 74.11.2
>
> In 193 CE the Praetorian Guard became upset with Emperor Pertinax for his strict military discipline and his economical rule after the excesses of Commodus. Failing to give the Praetorians an extra bonus, they murdered Pertinax (28 Mar.) and promised the throne to the highest bidder. This was Didius Julianus. The legions of Syria, Panonnia, and Britannia declared their own commanders emperors. All began to march against Didius in April or May, L. Septimus Severus from Panonnia arriving first to put an end to Didius on 1 June.
>
>
> Today's thought is from Cicero, De Officiis 2.2
>
> "What, in the name of heaven, is more to be desired than wisdom? What is more to be prized? What is better for a man, what more worthy of his nature? Those who seek after it are called philosophers; and philosophy is nothing else, if one will translate the word into our idiom, than "the love of wisdom." Wisdom, morever, as the word has been defined by the philosophers of old, is "the knowledge of things human and divine and of the causes by which those things are controlled."
>

SALVE!
 
Happy birthday, Corve!
 
VALE,
Sabinus





"Every individual is the architect of his own fortune" - Appius Claudius

--- On Wed, 2/3/10, luciaiuliaaquila <dis_pensible@...> wrote:


From: luciaiuliaaquila <dis_pensible@...>
Subject: [Nova-Roma] Felices natalis Corve! Re: a. d. III Kalendas Februarias: Ara Pacis Augustae
To: Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2010, 2:55 AM


 



Salve amice!

Felices natalis!

Vale,

Julia

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogrou ps.com, "marcushoratius" <MHoratius@. ..> wrote:
>
> M. Moravius Piscinus Horatianus Quiritibus et omnibus salutem plurimam dicit: Di vos inculumes custodiant
>
> Hodie est ante diem III Kalendas Februarias; haec dies nefastus est: feriae ex consulto senatus quod eo die ara Pacis Augustae dedicata; Delphinus incipit occidere, item Fidicula occidere, significat.
>
> Felices natalis Marce Corve ! Di tibi dent quaecumque optes.
> Today is the birthday of Tribunus Plebis Marcus Octavius Corvis, Sacerdos Iovis. We wish him well and the Gods may grant his desires.
>
>
> ARA PACIS AUGUSTAE
>
> Come, Peace, your graceful tresses wreathed
> With laurel of Actium: stay gently in this world.
> While we lack enemies, or cause for triumphs:
> You'll be a greater glory to our leaders than war.
> May the soldier be armed to defend against arms,
> And the trumpet blare only for processions.
> May the world far and near fear the sons of Aeneas,
> And let any land that feared Rome too little, love her.
> Priests, add incense to the peaceful flames,
> Let a shining sacrifice fall, brow wet with wine,
> And ask the Gods who favour pious prayer
> That the house that brings peace, may so endure.
> ~ P. Ovidius Naso, Fasti 1.711-722
>
>
> AUC 744 / 9 BCE: Dedication of the Ara Pacis Augustae
>
> "When I returned from Spain and Gaul, in the consulship of Tiberius Nero and Publius Quintilius [13 BCE], after successful operations in those provinces, the Senate voted in honor of my return the consecration of an altar to Pax Augusta in the Campus Martius, and on this altar it ordered the magistrates and priests and Vestal virgins to make annual sacrifice. Janus Quirinus, which our ancestors ordered to be closed whenever there was peace, secured by victory, throughout the whole domain of the Roman people on land and sea, and which, before my birth is recorded to have been closed but twice in all since the foundation of the city, the senate ordered to be closed thrice while I was princeps." ~ Augustus, Res Gestae Divi Augusti 12.2-13
>
> Commissioned by the Senate on 4 July 13 to honor Augustus upon his triumphal return from Gaul and Hispania, the Ara Pacis Augustae was dedicated nearly three and a half years later, celebrating the peace that Augustus had brought to the Empire through his many victories. The iconography of the altar and its surrounding enclosure depict the Pax Augusta as a result of the Pax Deorum attained by the Augustan Restoration of the religio Romana. The altar sits is atop a platform of eight steps. The altar itself is decorated with a band of friezes around the top that depicts a procession of sacrificial animals led by poppae and victimarii. Panels on the lower section are thought to have depicted a scene from a sacrifice, with another panel depicting the veiled Vestales Virgines. The inner portion of the enclosing wall has reliefs of bucraniae, wreathes, and paterae. The panels on the outside of the enclosing wall link the Augustan regime in the Pax Deorum in
two ways. First in myth, on the front right panel, Aeneas finding a white sow is taken from Virgil's description in the Aeneid, thematically linking Augustus as the new founder of the religio Romana. On the front left panel, Mars and Faustulus flank the lupercal where Romulus and Remus are seen being suckled by a she-wolf. This scene was possibly intended to suggest Augustus as the new Founder of Rome. The rear left panel shows Tellus or Ceres or Pax, flanked by two Nymphae. Romulus and Remus sit on Her lap; thematically connecting Her with Livia, as Iulia Augusta, and mother of Tiberius and Drusus. Another panel on the right rear shows a female warrior, probably intended to depict Roma or Victoria Augusta, or Pax, sitting on a pile of captured enemy arms to represent the peace won through the victories of Augustus.
>
> On the long sides of the enclosing wall are panels of the imperial family, magistrates, and priests seen in a procession towards the western entrance to the altar. Augustus leads the procession on the south side. He is accompanied by his camillus and lictores, followed by flamines in their distinctive apexes. Next comes Agrippa capite velite accompanied by his son Gaius. Livia comes next, followed by Antonia Minor and her husband Drusus with their children. Nero Claudius Drusus is seen in a military uniform. He was consul and died that same year as the altar was dedicated. Next is Antonia Maior with her huband and children. The northern procession has pontifices, quindecemviri sacris faciundis, and the semptemviri epulones along with their assistants and other children of the imperial family. Much of the image of Augustan is now missing. In the original design he can be seen at the apex of priests and civil administrators. He leads the procession as
both Pontifex Maximus and Imperator, with his lictors and the flamines maiores behind him, and as head of a dynasty posed by his several grandchildren on the panels. The entire scheme of the decoration is then to show Augustus as the one person who connects the fortunes of the Empire to the interests of the immortal Gods and how the Pax Deorum is dependent upon him offering sacrifice in fide to the Gods in the same manner as the legendary founders of Alba Longa and Rome.
>
> Museo dell'Ara Pacis http://en.arapacis. it/
> Best photos of the Ara Pacis at Bluffton University:
> http://wings. buffalo.edu/ AandL/Maecenas/ rome/ara_ pacis/section_ contents. html
> Article and photos at Bluffton University:
> http://www.bluffton .edu/~sullivanm/ italy/rome/ arapacis/ arapacis. html
>
>
> AUC 886 / 133 CE: Birth of Emperor M. Didius Salvius Julianus Severus
>
> "Meanwhile Didius Julianus, at once an insatiate money-getter and a wanton spendthrift, who was always eager for revolution and hence had been exiled by Commodus to his native city of Mediolanum, now, when he heard of the death of Pertinax, hastily made his way to the camp, and, standing at the gates of the enclosure, made bids to the soldiers for the rule over the Romans. Then ensued a most disgraceful business and one unworthy of Rome." ~ Cassius Dio 74.11.2
>
> In 193 CE the Praetorian Guard became upset with Emperor Pertinax for his strict military discipline and his economical rule after the excesses of Commodus. Failing to give the Praetorians an extra bonus, they murdered Pertinax (28 Mar.) and promised the throne to the highest bidder. This was Didius Julianus. The legions of Syria, Panonnia, and Britannia declared their own commanders emperors. All began to march against Didius in April or May, L. Septimus Severus from Panonnia arriving first to put an end to Didius on 1 June.
>
>
> Today's thought is from Cicero, De Officiis 2.2
>
> "What, in the name of heaven, is more to be desired than wisdom? What is more to be prized? What is better for a man, what more worthy of his nature? Those who seek after it are called philosophers; and philosophy is nothing else, if one will translate the word into our idiom, than "the love of wisdom." Wisdom, morever, as the word has been defined by the philosophers of old, is "the knowledge of things human and divine and of the causes by which those things are controlled."
>











[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Felicem Natalis Corve!
and may Sol be shining on you in Sarmatia this day:)
vale
Maior

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "luciaiuliaaquila" <dis_pensible@...> wrote:
>
> Salve amice!
>
> Felices natalis!
>
> Vale,
>
> Julia
>
> --- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "marcushoratius" <MHoratius@> wrote:
> >
> > M. Moravius Piscinus Horatianus Quiritibus et omnibus salutem plurimam dicit: Di vos inculumes custodiant
> >
> > Hodie est ante diem III Kalendas Februarias; haec dies nefastus est: feriae ex consulto senatus quod eo die ara Pacis Augustae dedicata; Delphinus incipit occidere, item Fidicula occidere, significat.
> >
> > Felices natalis Marce Corve ! Di tibi dent quaecumque optes.
> > Today is the birthday of Tribunus Plebis Marcus Octavius Corvis, Sacerdos Iovis. We wish him well and the Gods may grant his desires.
> >
> >
> > ARA PACIS AUGUSTAE
> >
> > Come, Peace, your graceful tresses wreathed
> > With laurel of Actium: stay gently in this world.
> > While we lack enemies, or cause for triumphs:
> > You'll be a greater glory to our leaders than war.
> > May the soldier be armed to defend against arms,
> > And the trumpet blare only for processions.
> > May the world far and near fear the sons of Aeneas,
> > And let any land that feared Rome too little, love her.
> > Priests, add incense to the peaceful flames,
> > Let a shining sacrifice fall, brow wet with wine,
> > And ask the Gods who favour pious prayer
> > That the house that brings peace, may so endure.
> > ~ P. Ovidius Naso, Fasti 1.711-722
> >
> >
> > AUC 744 / 9 BCE: Dedication of the Ara Pacis Augustae
> >
> > "When I returned from Spain and Gaul, in the consulship of Tiberius Nero and Publius Quintilius [13 BCE], after successful operations in those provinces, the Senate voted in honor of my return the consecration of an altar to Pax Augusta in the Campus Martius, and on this altar it ordered the magistrates and priests and Vestal virgins to make annual sacrifice. Janus Quirinus, which our ancestors ordered to be closed whenever there was peace, secured by victory, throughout the whole domain of the Roman people on land and sea, and which, before my birth is recorded to have been closed but twice in all since the foundation of the city, the senate ordered to be closed thrice while I was princeps." ~ Augustus, Res Gestae Divi Augusti 12.2-13
> >
> > Commissioned by the Senate on 4 July 13 to honor Augustus upon his triumphal return from Gaul and Hispania, the Ara Pacis Augustae was dedicated nearly three and a half years later, celebrating the peace that Augustus had brought to the Empire through his many victories. The iconography of the altar and its surrounding enclosure depict the Pax Augusta as a result of the Pax Deorum attained by the Augustan Restoration of the religio Romana. The altar sits is atop a platform of eight steps. The altar itself is decorated with a band of friezes around the top that depicts a procession of sacrificial animals led by poppae and victimarii. Panels on the lower section are thought to have depicted a scene from a sacrifice, with another panel depicting the veiled Vestales Virgines. The inner portion of the enclosing wall has reliefs of bucraniae, wreathes, and paterae. The panels on the outside of the enclosing wall link the Augustan regime in the Pax Deorum in two ways. First in myth, on the front right panel, Aeneas finding a white sow is taken from Virgil's description in the Aeneid, thematically linking Augustus as the new founder of the religio Romana. On the front left panel, Mars and Faustulus flank the lupercal where Romulus and Remus are seen being suckled by a she-wolf. This scene was possibly intended to suggest Augustus as the new Founder of Rome. The rear left panel shows Tellus or Ceres or Pax, flanked by two Nymphae. Romulus and Remus sit on Her lap; thematically connecting Her with Livia, as Iulia Augusta, and mother of Tiberius and Drusus. Another panel on the right rear shows a female warrior, probably intended to depict Roma or Victoria Augusta, or Pax, sitting on a pile of captured enemy arms to represent the peace won through the victories of Augustus.
> >
> > On the long sides of the enclosing wall are panels of the imperial family, magistrates, and priests seen in a procession towards the western entrance to the altar. Augustus leads the procession on the south side. He is accompanied by his camillus and lictores, followed by flamines in their distinctive apexes. Next comes Agrippa capite velite accompanied by his son Gaius. Livia comes next, followed by Antonia Minor and her husband Drusus with their children. Nero Claudius Drusus is seen in a military uniform. He was consul and died that same year as the altar was dedicated. Next is Antonia Maior with her huband and children. The northern procession has pontifices, quindecemviri sacris faciundis, and the semptemviri epulones along with their assistants and other children of the imperial family. Much of the image of Augustan is now missing. In the original design he can be seen at the apex of priests and civil administrators. He leads the procession as both Pontifex Maximus and Imperator, with his lictors and the flamines maiores behind him, and as head of a dynasty posed by his several grandchildren on the panels. The entire scheme of the decoration is then to show Augustus as the one person who connects the fortunes of the Empire to the interests of the immortal Gods and how the Pax Deorum is dependent upon him offering sacrifice in fide to the Gods in the same manner as the legendary founders of Alba Longa and Rome.
> >
> > Museo dell'Ara Pacis http://en.arapacis.it/
> > Best photos of the Ara Pacis at Bluffton University:
> > http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/ara_pacis/section_contents.html
> > Article and photos at Bluffton University:
> > http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/italy/rome/arapacis/arapacis.html
> >
> >
> > AUC 886 / 133 CE: Birth of Emperor M. Didius Salvius Julianus Severus
> >
> > "Meanwhile Didius Julianus, at once an insatiate money-getter and a wanton spendthrift, who was always eager for revolution and hence had been exiled by Commodus to his native city of Mediolanum, now, when he heard of the death of Pertinax, hastily made his way to the camp, and, standing at the gates of the enclosure, made bids to the soldiers for the rule over the Romans. Then ensued a most disgraceful business and one unworthy of Rome." ~ Cassius Dio 74.11.2
> >
> > In 193 CE the Praetorian Guard became upset with Emperor Pertinax for his strict military discipline and his economical rule after the excesses of Commodus. Failing to give the Praetorians an extra bonus, they murdered Pertinax (28 Mar.) and promised the throne to the highest bidder. This was Didius Julianus. The legions of Syria, Panonnia, and Britannia declared their own commanders emperors. All began to march against Didius in April or May, L. Septimus Severus from Panonnia arriving first to put an end to Didius on 1 June.
> >
> >
> > Today's thought is from Cicero, De Officiis 2.2
> >
> > "What, in the name of heaven, is more to be desired than wisdom? What is more to be prized? What is better for a man, what more worthy of his nature? Those who seek after it are called philosophers; and philosophy is nothing else, if one will translate the word into our idiom, than "the love of wisdom." Wisdom, morever, as the word has been defined by the philosophers of old, is "the knowledge of things human and divine and of the causes by which those things are controlled."
> >
>

C. Petronius Scholasticae omnibusque s.p.d.,

> ATS2: Quid? Galli in Galliá Gallicé loqui nolunt?

Ita est, in FrancoGallia a Media Æva habuimus duas maximas linguae Latinae familias, prima quarum a septemtrione fluminis Liguris linguarum "oïl" dicta est, in quibus lingua quam Francorum reges et Lutetienses loquebantur, quae paulatim Francogallica hodierna lingua facta est, altera a meridie fluminis Liguris linguarum "occ" dicta est, e quibus poeta Federicus Mistral "Provincialem" finxit.

Sed in Gallia etiam habuimus linguas non Latinas et etiamnunc habemus. Gentes qui in Aremorica nunc vivunt, quae nunc "Bretagne" appellatur, Celtice loquuntur et cum Caledoniis, Ibernis et Gallis (Walles) qui sunt in Unito Regno colloqui possunt. In parte septemtrionali et orienti Galliarum gentes Germanice loquuntur, non plane Germanice, dii immortales! nam eorum lingua certe e familia Germanica est sed non est Germanica lingua qua trans Rhenum Germani loquuntur. Et prope Montes Pyreneos sunt qui Vasconice loquantur. Sed omnes hae gentes bilingues sunt, nam primum oportet se Francogallice loqui.

Vale quam optime.

C. Petronius Dexter
Arcoiali scribebat
III Non. Feb. P. Memmio K. Fabio II coss.

M. Moravius Piscinus cultoribus Deorum et omnibus salutem plurimam dicit: Dum tempus habemus operemur bonum

Hodie est ante diem III Nonas Februarias; haec dies nefastus est.

"When half of Leo and all of Canis have set, then Corus, or Septentrio, sometimes Favonius, begin to arrive." ~ Columella, De Re
Rustica 9.2.13

"During the latter days of this period, whenever the nature of the weather will allow it, the ground should be turned up with the double
mattock, for planting the rose and the vine – sixty men to a iugerum. Ditches, too, should be cleared out, or new ones made; and the time of day-break may be usefully employed in sharpening iron tools, fitting on handles, repairing such dolia wine vats as may have
been broken, and rubbing and cleaning their staves." ~ Plinius Secundus, Historia Naturalis 18.64


Purification

"May they approach the Gods and Goddesses while pure and chaste, bringing piety, and leaving riches behind. Whosoever should do otherwise, will be avenged upon by the God Himself."

"That is, purity of mind, for everything is included by that. This does not remove the requirement of bodily purityÂ…for in the former case impurity is removed by the sprinkling of water or the passage of a certain number of days, but a mental stain can neither be blotted out by the passage of time nor washed away by any stream." ~ M. Tullius Cicero, De Legibus 2.8.19; 2.10.24-25

February is a month of preparation and of purification. March begins the new year. We are advised to use this month to prepare the tools needed to work farms, to prepare the soil when we can, as Columella and Pliny wrote above, and we are also advised to prepare our selves for a new year spent in service to the Gods. As we progress through this month we shall come upon different rites and festivals that are tied into a theme of purification. Of first importance, though, is purity of mind. Cicero, above, was speaking on his idealized state and on the religion that he thought would best serve his Republic. He openly acknowledged that in some ways he modeled his idealized religion on the religio Romana, stripped down, though, from what he considered politically dangerous. On this one point that purification must begin with a purity of mind, he echoed what was normally thought in the religions of the Mediterranean. A contemporary of Cicero's, a young poet and playwright who died in the year following Cicero's consulship, inspired such later poets as Horace as well as elderly statesmen like Julius Caesar and Cicero. Persius wrote:

"Rightly, what is proper and just to offer the Gods are holiness of mind and purity of heart in the deepest recesses of our being." ~ Aules Persius Flaccus, Satura 2.73-75

A little more than a hundred years later we find Pliny the Younger adding his comments. Today we know of him through his letters, one in which he described the events of Vesuvius destroying Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabia, and with the death of his uncle, Pliny the Elder. In his own time, he made his name as a trial lawyer, along with his friend Tacitus, in a famous case in North Africa, and later went on to become a Consul and Proconsul in Asia under the emperor Trajan. In his day it was typical to offer flowery praises. In one that he wrote we find the sentiment:

"The Gods rejoice more in the innocence of worshippers than in elaborate prayers; the man who enters their temples with a pure heart is more agreeable to them than one who recites a carefully prepared litany." ~ C. Plinius Caecilius Secundus, Panegyricus 3

These ideas on first attaining a pure and guiltless mind were not solely the expressions of a literary elite. They were ideas that were fostered by the temples. Every temple had its own lex templi that described what rites were permitted within their boundaries. These were written on walls and spoken aloud. Typical lex templi included rules of conduct, ethics, and moral prohibitions. This was true in the temple precincts of Rome and in other cities, in the religio Romana and in the religions of the Greeks and that of Egyptians. An example of these comes from a Greek temple at Philadelphia, dated to the first century BCE, with rules denoting what would make a person impure, rules that are probably familiar to everyone in one form or another:


"To observe the purification and cleansing rites, and offer the sacrifices in accordance with ancestral rites and as now practiced. Those who enter this house [i.e., temple], both men and women, both bound and free, are to take oath before all the gods that, conscious of no guile toward man or woman, they will not administer an evil drug to men, nor will they learn or practice wicked charms, nor give any philter, or any abortive or contraceptive drug, nor commit robbery or murder, either carrying it out themselves or advising another or acting as witness, nor overlook complacently those who rob [or withhold offerings] in this house; and if anyone shall do any of these things or advise them, they will not consent or pass over it in silence, but will bring it out into the open and see that the crime is punished.

"A man is not to take another woman in addition to his own wife, either a free woman or a slave who has a husband, nor is he to corrupt either a child [boy] or virgin, nor is he to counsel another to do so; but if he should witness anyone doing such, he must not hide it or keep silent. Woman and man, whoever does any of the things above written, let them not enter this house. For the gods who dwell here are mighty and watch over these things and will not hold back punishment from those who transgress their commandments. A free woman is to be pure and is not to know bed or intercourse with any man other than her own husband. If she does she shall not be pure, but is defiled and full of corruption within her family and is unworthy to worship this god for whom these rites were established, or to offer sacrifices, or to . . . [about 12 lines missing] to stumble upon or to see the mysteries observed above. If anyone does any of these things with which the commandments here copied have to do, terrible curses from the gods will come upon those who disregard them. For God does not by any means will that these things should come to pass, nor does he desire it, but to obey [i.e., God wants obedience, not to punish].

"To those who obey the Gods will be gracious and will always be giving them everything good, such as the Gods desire to give men They love. But if any transgress, They will hate such persons and lay upon them great penalties."


Our thought for day comes from the Vatican Sayings 5, by Epicurus:

"It is not possible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and honorably and justly, and it is not possible to live wisely and honorably and justly without living pleasantly. Whenever any one of these is lacking, when, for instance, the man is not able to live wisely, though he lives honorably and justly, it is impossible for him to live a pleasant life."

P. Corva Gaudialis M. Octavie Corve sal.

From one raven to another, Happy Birthday! :)

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "luciaiuliaaquila" <dis_pensible@...> wrote:
>
> Salve amice!
>
> Felices natalis!
>
> Vale,
>
> Julia

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

"Trembling with fear, Arion said: 'I don't plead for life,
But let me take up my lyre and play a little.'
They granted it, laughing at the delay. He took the wreath
That might have graced your tresses, Phoebus:
Put on his robe, twice-stained with Tyrian purple:
And, plucked by his thumb, the strings gave out their music,
Such a melody as the swan's mournful measures,
When the cruel shaft has transfixed its brow.
At once, he plunged, fully clothed into the waves:
The water, leaping, splashed the sky-blue stern.
Then (beyond belief) they say a dolphin
Yielded its back to the unaccustomed weight.
Sitting there, Arion gripped the lyre, and paid his fare
In song, soothing the ocean waves with his singing.
The gods see good deeds: Jupiter took the dolphin
And ordered its constellation to contain nine stars."
- Ovid, Fasti II: 3 February

"Then was there heard a most celestial sound
Of dainty music which did next ensue,
And, on the floating waters as enthroned,
Arion with his harp unto him drew
The ears and hearts of all that goodly crew;
Even when as yet the dolphin which him bore
Through the Aegean Seas from pirates' view,
Stood still, by him astonished at his love,
And all the raging seas for joy forgot to roar." - Edmund Spenser

Arion was a musician from the court of King Periander of Corinth;
sources indicate that the two may have also been lovers. Against
Periander's wishes, Arion decided to enter a musical contest in
Sicily. He won, and was returning home by ship with his prize, when
the sailors on the ship decided that they could put his winnings to
better use than he could. Afraid of the wrath of Periander, however,
they were reluctant to actually kill him; instead, they ordered him to
jump off the ship in the middle of the ocean. His last request was to
play his lyre before he leaped to a watery grave, and the sailors
allowed it.

Arion's playing was the most beautiful music ever heard on earth, in
heaven, or under the earth; it was so beautiful that it drew a school
of dolphins to the side of the ship, and they leapt and played in the
ship's wake. Upon finishing, Arion threw himself overboard - only
to be picked up by a dolphin and carried, on its back, to safety. He
made it back to Corinth and Periander, the sailors' wickedness was
exposed (they were banished forever), and the dolphin was rewarded by
being placed among the celestial bodies by Iuppiter to mark its
kindness forever.

"Arion the Immortal" is also a character from DC Comics, but has
little or no relation to the Arion of the story, as far as I know.


Valete bene!

Cato

C. Dexter C. Catoni s.p.d.,

> they ordered him to jump off the ship in the middle of the ocean.

Dii immortales! What ocean flows between Sicily and Corinth? ;o)

C. Petronius Dexter
Arcoiali scribebat
a.d. III Non. Feb. P. Memmio K. Fabio II coss.

Cato P. Dextero sal.

I think it's supposed to be the Ionian :)

Vale!

Cato

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "petronius_dexter" <jfarnoud94@...> wrote:
>
> C. Dexter C. Catoni s.p.d.,
>
> > they ordered him to jump off the ship in the middle of the ocean.
>
> Dii immortales! What ocean flows between Sicily and Corinth? ;o)
>
> C. Petronius Dexter
> Arcoiali scribebat
> a.d. III Non. Feb. P. Memmio K. Fabio II coss.
>

Caeca Catoni sal, et salvete omnes,

Does Orien equate to Orpheus, or are they 2 separate people, both being the best musicians in the world, or in heaven, or in the underworld?

Vale et Valete bene,
C. Maria Caeca

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Cato P. Dextero sal.

Although Spenser says this:

"Then was there heard a most celestial sound
Of dainty music which did next ensue,
And, on the floating waters as enthroned,
Arion with his harp unto him drew
The ears and hearts of all that goodly crew;
Even when as yet the dolphin which him bore
Through the Aegean Seas from pirates' view,
Stood still, by him astonished at his lore,
And all the raging seas for joy forgot to roar."

and he was supposedly set ashore at the temple to Poseidon at Cape Tainaron, which sticks out of Greece at the bottom.

Vale,

Cato

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "Cato" <catoinnyc@...> wrote:
>
> Cato P. Dextero sal.
>
> I think it's supposed to be the Ionian :)
>
> Vale!
>
> Cato
>
> --- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "petronius_dexter" <jfarnoud94@> wrote:
> >
> > C. Dexter C. Catoni s.p.d.,
> >
> > > they ordered him to jump off the ship in the middle of the ocean.
> >
> > Dii immortales! What ocean flows between Sicily and Corinth? ;o)
> >
> > C. Petronius Dexter
> > Arcoiali scribebat
> > a.d. III Non. Feb. P. Memmio K. Fabio II coss.
> >
>

Aeterniae Caecae sal,

I would say they were two seperate people, based upon the myth of Orpheus
and Eurydice alone distinguishes the two....But I'm not as mythology
afficionado as I once was, so clarification always appreciated :-)

Vale et Valete,
Aeternia

On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 2:46 PM, C.Maria Caeca <c.mariacaeca@...>wrote:

>
>
> Caeca Catoni sal, et salvete omnes,
>
> Does Orien equate to Orpheus, or are they 2 separate people, both being the
> best musicians in the world, or in heaven, or in the underworld?
>
> Vale et Valete bene,
> C. Maria Caeca
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Caeca Aeternae omnibusque sal,

I just wondered because both musicians were ...um ...the very absolute best,
in any world, apparently. Now, of course, they could have lived at
different times, but I couldn't help but think ...so how many "best"
musicians *were* there? (grin). Of course, this is a trifle ...the myth
itself is magnificent, and evokes several lines of thought ...and reawakens
my desire for a *really* good symbol dictionary, or access again to
Georgetown University library, or the Library of congress ...which I got on
my husband's coat tails, and lost several years ago at his death and my move
to Atlanta. Still, when I have time, ...

Vale et valete bene
Caeca

Aeternae Caecae sal,

So you're wondering who were the famous musicians of that time period? Well
lets see there were The Muses of course followed by Orpheus son of a Muse,
closely followed by the Sirens (okay so they lured sailors to their deaths,
but they were known for their beautiful singing) I also remember back in
college, there was a story of a singer known as Lamia I believed hailed from
Athens. As far as I know in regards to the Roman side there aren't any
particular myths pertaining to musicians outside of the Muses etc.. (again
my studies lean more Greco-Roman) but I would not say that there wasn't a
possibility, especially during the Reign of Augustus where Ancient Rome was
at its most cultural peak, I'm sure divine music inspiration had its place.
It'll take some digging, but this now has my intrest. You know Orpheus
would make a great poetry subject now that I'm thinking about it..

Vale et Valete,
R. Cornelia Aeternia

On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 3:45 PM, C.Maria Caeca <c.mariacaeca@...>wrote:

>
>
> Caeca Aeternae omnibusque sal,
>
> I just wondered because both musicians were ...um ...the very absolute
> best,
> in any world, apparently. Now, of course, they could have lived at
> different times, but I couldn't help but think ...so how many "best"
> musicians *were* there? (grin). Of course, this is a trifle ...the myth
> itself is magnificent, and evokes several lines of thought ...and reawakens
>
> my desire for a *really* good symbol dictionary, or access again to
> Georgetown University library, or the Library of congress ...which I got on
>
> my husband's coat tails, and lost several years ago at his death and my
> move
> to Atlanta. Still, when I have time, ...
>
> Vale et valete bene
> Caeca
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Did the ancient greeks mention Okeanos meaning the external waters that circles the borders of the world, or the entire waters, mediterranean sea included?

Anyway, Delphinus the Dolphin is a fine constellation, small but well-defined, beautiful to see.

Im trying to remember if there is a statue or fountain, in Rome or anywhere else, that depicts this specific myth.


M. Arminius


--- Em qua, 3/2/10, Cato <catoinnyc@...> escreveu:
Cato P. Dextero sal.

I think it's supposed to be the Ionian :)

Vale!

Cato

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogrou ps.com, "petronius_dexter" <jfarnoud94@ ...> wrote:
>
> C. Dexter C. Catoni s.p.d.,
>
> > they ordered him to jump off the ship in the middle of the ocean.
>
> Dii immortales! What ocean flows between Sicily and Corinth? ;o)
>
> C. Petronius Dexter
> Arcoiali scribebat
> a.d. III Non. Feb. P. Memmio K. Fabio II coss.



____________________________________________________________________________________
Veja quais são os assuntos do momento no Yahoo! +Buscados
http://br.maisbuscados.yahoo.com

Cato Caecae sal.

Well, Herodotus says this:

"They relate that Arion of Methymna, who as a player on the harp, was ***second
to no man living at that time***, and who was, so far as we know, the first to
invent the dithyrambic measure, to give it its name, and to recite in it at
Corinth, was carried to Taenarum on the back of a dolphin. [my emphasis]" -
Histories 1.24

So he wouldn't be vying with Orpheus or anyone else that we know of at that
particular place and time.

Vale!

Cato

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "C.Maria Caeca" <c.mariacaeca@...> wrote:
>
> Caeca Aeternae omnibusque sal,
>
> I just wondered because both musicians were ...um ...the very absolute best,
> in any world, apparently. Now, of course, they could have lived at
> different times, but I couldn't help but think ...so how many "best"
> musicians *were* there? (grin). Of course, this is a trifle ...the myth
> itself is magnificent, and evokes several lines of thought ...and reawakens
> my desire for a *really* good symbol dictionary, or access again to
> Georgetown University library, or the Library of congress ...which I got on
> my husband's coat tails, and lost several years ago at his death and my move
> to Atlanta. Still, when I have time, ...
>
> Vale et valete bene
> Caeca
>

Cato Caecae sal.

Also, here's the story from the Fabulae of Hyginus (194):

"Since Arion of Methymna was very skillful in playing the lyre, King Pyranthus of Corinth was fond of him. When he had gained permission from the king to make known his art throughout the state and had acquired a great fortune, his servants, together with the sailors, plotted to kill him. Apollo appeared to him in a dream and bade him sing in his poet's garland crown, and surrender himself to those who would come to aid him. When the servants and sailors were about to kill him, he asked to be allowed to sing first. But when the sound of the lyre and his voice were heard, dolphins came about the ship, and at sight of them he threw himself into the sea. They raised him up and bore him to Corinth to King Pyranthus. When he reached land, being eager for his journey, he failed to push the dolphin into the sea and it perished there. After he had told his misfortunes to Pyranthus, the King ordered the dolphin to be buried, and monument raised to it. Shortly after, word came to Pyranthus that the ship in which Arion had sailed had been brought to Corinth by a storm. He ordered the crew to be led before him, and inquired about Arion, but they replied that he had died and that they had buried him. The King replied: 'Tomorrow you will swear to that at the Dolphin's Monument.' Because of this he ordered them to be kept under guard, and instructed Arion to hide in the monument of the dolphin the next morning, attired as he was when he threw himself into the sea. When the King had brought them there, and ordered them to swear by the departed spirit of the dolphin that Arion was dead, Arion came out of the monument. In amazement, wondering by what divinity he had been saved, they were silent. The King ordered them to be crucified at the monument of the dolphin, but Apollo, because of Arion's skill with the cithara, placed him and the dolphin among the stars."

and apparently the monument still existed at the time of Pausanius (Description of Greece 3.25.7):

"Among other offerings on Taenarum is a bronze statue of Arion the harper on a dolphin. Herodotus has told the story of Arion and the dolphin, as he heard it, in his history of Lydia. I have seen the dolphin at Poroselene that rewards the boy for saving his life. It had been damaged by fishermen and he cured it. I saw this dolphin obeying his call and carrying him whenever he wanted to ride on it."

Vale,

Cato

M. Moravius Piscinus cultoribus Deorum et omnibus salutem plurimam dicit: Ab alio exspectes alteri quod feceris

Hodie est die pristine Nonas Februarias; haec dies nefastus est:

FUNERAL OF EMPEROR PERTINAX

As a member of the Senate at the time, Dio Cassius participated in the funeral of Pertinax that was presented by Septimus Severus. He has left us this account of an emperor's funeral.

"Upon establishing himself in power he erected a shrine to Pertinax, and commanded that his name should be mentioned at the close of all prayers and all oaths; he also ordered that a golden image of Pertinax should be carried into the Circus on a car drawn by elephants, and that three gilded thrones should be borne into the other amphitheatres in his honour. His funeral, in spite of the time that had elapsed since his death, was carried out as follows. In the Roman Forum a wooden platform was constructed hard by the marble rostra, upon which was set a shrine, without walls, but surrounded by columns, cunningly wrought of both ivory and gold. In it there was placed a bier of the same materials, surrounded by heads of both land and sea animals and adorned with coverlets of purple and gold. Upon this rested an effigy of Pertinax in wax, laid out in triumphal garb; and a comely youth was keeping the flies away from it with peacock feathers, as though it were really a person sleeping. 4 While the body lay in state, Severus as well as we senators and our wives approached, wearing mourning; the women sat in the porticos, and we men under the open sky. After this there moved past, first, images of all the famous Romans of old, then choruses of boys and men, singing a dirge-like hymn to Pertinax; there followed all the subject nations, represented by bronze figures attired in native dress, and the guilds of the City itself — those of the lictors, the scribes, the heralds, and all the rest. Then came images of other men who had been distinguished for some exploit or invention or manner of life. Behind these were the cavalry and infantry in armour, the race-horses, and all the funeral offerings that the emperor and we senators and our wives, and the corporations of the City, had sent. Following them came an altar gilded all over and adorned with ivory and gems of India. When these had passed by, Severus mounted the rostra and read a eulogy of Pertinax. We shouted our approval many times in the course of his address, now praising and now lamenting Pertinax, but our shouts were loudest when he concluded. Finally, when the bier was about to be moved, we all lamented and wept together. It was brought down from the platform by the high priests and the magistrates, not only those who were actually in office at the time by also those who had been elected for the ensuing year; and they gave it to certain knights to carry. All the rest of us, now, marched ahead of the bier, some beating our breasts and others playing a dirge on the flute, but the emperor followed behind all the rest; and in this order we arrived at the Campus Martius. There a pyre had been built in the form of a tower having three stories and adorned with ivory and gold as well as a number of statues, while on its very summit was placed a gilded chariot that Pertinax had been wont to drive. Inside this pyre the funeral offerings were cast and the bier was placed in it, and then Severus and the relatives of Pertinax kissed the effigy. The emperor then ascended a tribunal, while we, the senate, except the magistrates, took our places on wooden stands in order to view the ceremonies both safely and conveniently. The magistrates and the equestrian order, arrayed in a manner befitting their station, and likewise the cavalry and the infantry, passed in and out around the pyre performing intricate evolutions, both those of peace and those of war. Then at last the consuls applied fire to the structure, and when this had been done, an eagle flew aloft from it. Thus was Pertinax made immortal." ~ Dio Cassius 75.4-5


AUC 964 / 211 CE: Death of Septimus Severus at York; ascension of Caracalla and Geta. Caracella assumed the title of pontifex maximus on this day.

At the murder of Emperor Pertinax by the Praetorian Guard (28 March 193 BCE), they auctioned off the throne to the highest bidder. He was senator, M. Didius Severus Julianus. Unpopular with the citizens of Rome because of how he had purchased his title, three generals then rose in revolt. Pescennius Niger commanded the legions in Syria, Clodius Albinus was stationed in Britannia, while closest to Rome was Septimius Severus in Pannonia. By the calends of June, Didius Julianus was executed by order of the Senate who also named Septimius Severus emperor. Severus turned to meet Pescennius Niger, defeating him in 194 at the Battle of Issus, and finally brought the civil war to an end by defeating Albinus at the Battle of Lugdunum on 19 Feb. 197 BCE. Septimius was a soldier's emperor. He increased the size of the army to 33 legions and raised their annual pay from 300 to 500 denarii, and to these he also increased the number of auxillary units. He ended the corruption that had started during the reign of Commodus, in part by executing a number of corrupt senators. This made him popular with the masses, as did his military expeditions. He gained a victory over the Parthians early in his reign and fought a number of campaigns in Britannia and Caledonia, eventually winning a peace with the Picts that was to hold until the Roman legions withdrew from the British Isles. His expansion of the army, while needed to defend the empire, nonetheless came to drain its resources. While campaigning once more in Britannia, at the age of 89, Septimius Severus became ill and died at York.

"When this had been done, and the Caledonians had joined the revolt of the Maeatae, he began preparing to make war upon them in person. While he was thus engaged, his sickness carried him off on the fourth of February, not without some help, they say, from Antoninus. At all events, before Severus died, he is reported to have spoken thus to his sons (I give his exact words without embellishment): 'Be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men.' After this his body, arrayed in military garb, was placed upon a pyre, and as a mark of honour the soldiers and his sons ran about it; and as for the soldiers' gifts, those who had things at hand to offer as gifts threw them upon it, and his sons applied the fire. Afterwards his bones were put in an urn of purple stone, carried to Rome, and deposited in the tomb of the Antonines. It is said that Severus sent for the urn shortly before his death, and after feeling of it, remarked: 'Thou shalt hold a man that the world could not hold.'" ~ Dio Cassius 77.15.2-4

Septimius had founded the last imperial dynasty, the Severans, who included five emperors, himself, his sons Caracella and Greta, and their cousins, Elagabalus and, ending with the best of them, Severus Alexander.


Our thought for today is one that is common to many traditions. This time it expressed byLaberius Decimus (107-43 BCE)

"As you behave towards others, expect that others will behave to you."

Salvete omnes

I don't know why or when the Explorator stopped being posted on our main list. Here is the latest and I shall try to see that they continue to be posted here every week.

Valete optime
M. Moravius Piscinus

================================================================
explorator 12.41 January 31, 2010
================================================================
Editor's note: Most urls should be active for at least eight
hours from the time of publication.

For your computer's protection, Explorator is sent in plain text
and NEVER has attachments. Be suspicious of any Explorator which
arrives otherwise!!!
================================================================
================================================================
Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Daniel P. Diffendale
Diana Wright, Donna Hurst, Duke Jason, Edward Rockstein,
Rick Heli, Virginia Knight, Hernan Astudillo,Donna Hurst,
Kurt Theis, Richard Price, John McMahon, Joseph Lauer,Randolph Bragg
Mike Ruggeri,Sue Day,Joos Postma, Bob Heuman, Rochelle Altman,
Murali Menon, Rick Pettigrew,Diana C. Briscoe and Ross W. Sargent
for headses upses this week (as always hoping I have left no one
out).
================================================================
EARLY HUMANS
================================================================
Trying to explain homo floresiensis' tiny brain:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100126220325.htm
http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-38919.html
http://www.physorg.com/news183808783.html


Last of the Neanderthals: 37 000 b.p.?:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100126220321.htm
http://www.physorg.com/news183793078.html

================================================================
AFRICA
================================================================
Nice feature on San petroglyphs in Matobo National Park:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704281204575003441739599812.html?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_LeadStoryNA

A major cache of Anglo-Boer weaponry has brought a construction
project in King William's Town to a halt:

http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=375303

BBC series on the Lost Kingdoms of Africa (access to videos
limited):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pv1m4
================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
They're starting to hype DNA test results on Tut:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/31/AR2010013100756.html

Plans to restore the 'avenue of the sphinxes':

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=588&art_id=nw20100129010733701C521010
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=9649483

Feature on Egyptian lifestyle:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/features/lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-famous-egyptians-1878609.html

Feature on the excavations at Tel Kabri:

http://www.gwu.edu/explore/gwtoday/aroundtheworld/uncoveringanancientcivilization

Overviewish thing on recent work in Syria:

http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/201001304589/Travel/archaeological-findings-highlight-syria-role-in-human-civilization.html

Feature on the political side of archaeology in Israel:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1957350,00.html

Brief feature on Ottoman Umm Qais:

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100129090301/Ottoman-era%20village%20reflects%20Jordan%27s%20layers%20of%20enduring%20history

Lengthy feature on Lycia:

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-199728-116-digging-up-turkeys-past-tomb-raider-charles-fellows-in-lycia.html

Feature on the oldest cylinder seal found on the Arabian peninsula:

http://www.sas.upenn.edu/home/SASFrontiers/pittman2010.html

Paul Sussman shares his views on his work:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/jan/30/i-discovered-pharaoh-gold

A lecture by Sara Orel:

http://media.www.trumanindex.com/media/storage/paper607/news/2010/01/28/Trulife/Lecture.Reveals.History.Behind.Ancient.Egyptian.Pottery-3859280.shtml

More on the Archaic Mark as forgery:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Early-copy-of-the-Gospel-of-Mark-is-a-forgery%20/20134

More on the Berenike Temple:

http://www.projo.com/art/content/artsun-tomb-found_01-24-10_8NH5OSE_v7.1b8adb4.html

More on Iraq's erasing Hebrew connections to Ezekiel's tomb:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1144711.html

Review of David O'Connor, *Abydos*:

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2010/983/heritage.htm

Egyptology News Blog:

http://egyptology.blogspot.com/

Egyptology Blog:

http://www.egyptologyblog.co.uk/

Dr Leen Ritmeyer's Blog:

http://blog.ritmeyer.com/

Paleojudaica:

http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/

Persepolis Fortification Archives:

http://persepolistablets.blogspot.com/

Archaeologist at Large:

http://spaces.msn.com/members/ArchaeologyinEgypt/
================================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
================================================================
The big news this week might be the discovery of what appears to be
the source of the Aqua Traiana:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/news/british-filmmakers-uncover-trajans-hidden-roman-aquaduct-1879540.html
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14287435
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/24/roman-aqua-traiana-film-makers
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/7067184/Two-thousand-year-old-Roman-aqueduct-discovered.html
http://eternallycool.net/2010/01/source-of-trajans-aqueduct-discovered/
http://www.wtxx.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-eu-italy-ancient-aqueduct,0,1833225.story
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8486518.stm
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60S4LK20100129
http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/roman-aqueduct-emperor.html
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20100129/tod-oukoe-uk-italy-archaeologists-life-fdde6d8.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100129/sc_afp/italybritainarchaeologyaqueduct_20100129221346
http://www.physorg.com/news184010018.html
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/28/world/AP-EU-Italy-Ancient-Aqueduct.html
http://rogueclassicism.com/2010/01/25/source-of-the-aqua-traiana-found/
http://rogueclassicism.com/2010/01/29/more-on-the-aqua-traiana/

... or the big news this week might be the discovery of what appears
to be fragments of the Codex Gregorianus:

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/1001/10012702
http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/News/Podcasts/Pages/lostromanlaw.aspx
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/history2/volterra/texts/fla.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100126220329.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/28/gregorian-text-roman-law-found
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-01/ucl-lrl012610.php
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/news/cracking-the-codex-long-lost-roman-legal-document-discovered-1881769.html
http://www.physorg.com/news183800845.html
http://rogueclassicism.com/2010/01/27/codex-gregorianus-found/

The reopening of the Fitzwilliam's Greek and Roman collection is
garnering some coverage:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/8485654.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/charlottehigginsblog/2010/jan/27/art-archaeology
http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%2526+heritage/art75434
http://rogueclassicism.com/2010/01/28/the-fitzwilliam-has-some-interesting-stuff/

... and especially interesting is a feature on a Roman Army Knife:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1247230/The-Roman-Army-Knife-Or-ingenuity-Swiss-beaten-1-800-years.html
http://rogueclassicism.com/2010/01/30/the-roman-swiss-army-knife/

Interesting burial of an Asian found in a Roman context at Vagnari:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/news/embassador-or-slave-east-asian-skeleton-discovered-in-vagnari-roman-cemetery-1879551.html
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/714884
http://rogueclassicism.com/2010/01/29/asian-burial-at-vagnari/

Trying to figure out what to do with Guernsey's Roman shipwreck:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/guernsey/8482552.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/guernsey/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8481000/8481475.stm
http://rogueclassicism.com/2010/01/28/guernseys-roman-shipwreck/P
Not sure why, but that 'Vespasian's birthplace' find from last August
is making the rounds again:

http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/CultureAndMedia/?id=3.0.4244627106
http://www.littleabout.com/news/63077,2000-year-birthplace-roman-emperor-vespasian.html
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/01/28/2000year-old-birthplace-of-roman-emperor-vespasianfound.html
http://rogueclassicism.com/2010/01/30/vespasians-birthplace-redux/

A Roman temple find during excavations in the chancel of a church
in Spain:

http://www.barcelonareporter.com/index.php?/news/comments/an_ancient_roman_temple_discovered_in_the_chancel_of_the_church_of_sant_fel/3101100247am

Feature on Ulpiana:

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/life_and_style/25109/

Interesting bit of Thracian gold on display for the first time:

http://paper.standartnews.com/en/article.php?d=2010-01-29&article=32002

Mary Beard will be chatting on Desert Island Discs some time today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00q0dbx

What the Iliad still tells us about war:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/30/iliad-war-charlotte-higgins

How to be a gladiator:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,583784,00.html

Barbara Gold's Valentine's Day opinions are circulating again:

http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-37669.html

Medical case histories on Mount Olympus:

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2005/5/9stallard.html

Palaeography is threatened at King's College:

http://rogueclassicism.com/2010/01/28/cuts-at-kings-college-london/

Feature on Auden's 'Shield of Achilles':

http://pacificfreepress.com/news/1/5470-shield-of-achilles.html

Review of Kagan's *Thucydides*:

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/jan/28/thucydides-a-flawed-analysis-of-flawed-history/

Review of Zachary Mason, *Lost Books of the Odyssey*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/books/28book.html


Latest reviews from Scholia:

http://www.classics.ukzn.ac.za/reviews/

Latest reviews from BMCR:

http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/recent.html

Visit our blog:

http://rogueclassicism.com/
================================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
================================================================
Pondering the implications of evidence of a Neolithic amputation
found in the environs of Paris:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7000810.ece
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/7072726/Stone-Age-amputee-proves-Neolithic-medics-more-advanced-than-previously-thought.html

Remains of an Iron Age settlement in Kent:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/8488871.stm

Another item from the Staffordshire Hoard has gone on display:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/staffordshire/8479047.stm

Remains of a Viking settlement in Dublin:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0127/1224263210796.html

Recent finds from Veliko Tarnovo (a bit vague):

http://www.balkantravellers.com/en/read/article/1714

Feature on Eliseg's Pillar (Wales):

http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/84291/historic-welsh-pillar-that-s-shrouded-in-mystery.aspx

More on Mel Gibson's Viking project:

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/entertainment/6711747/mel-gibson-eyeing-viking-epic/
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/entertainment/6718397/gibson-to-make-viking-epic/

Archaeology in Europe Blog:

http://www.archaeology.eu.com/weblog/index.html
================================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
================================================================
A high-ranking Han Dynasty burial from Shaanxi:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/culture/2010-01/29/c_13156192.htm
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90873/6883157.html

An Iron Age (?) burial from Laos:

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/305145,iron-age-discovery-uncovers-prehistoric-burial-customs-in-laos.html

A Warring States period tomb with some bamboo strips:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-01/23/content_9365954.htm

I thought they had done DNA tests on the remains of Cao Cao's tomb;
maybe I missed something:

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90873/6878182.html
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90874/6879963.html
http://www.physorg.com/news183726069.html

Latest 'Great Wall' news:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2010-01/29/content_9397217.htm
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90873/6882691.html

An Amman idol and assorted other items from construction sites
near Mannargudi:

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/amman-idol-copper-coins-unearthed-near-mannargudi-458

Latest video on the Archaeology Channel is about India:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org).

Vietnam has reburied the mummified corpse of a Le Dynasty king
which was accidentally dug up fifty years ago:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100125/lf_afp/vietnamroyalsmummy_20100125172948
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Asia/Story/A1Story20100125-194364.html

Nice Astronomy pic of the day of an annular eclipse over Myanmar:

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap100126.html

More on evidence for a lost Spanish colony in the Solomons:

http://www.solomonstarnews.com/viewpoint/private-view/2054-lost-spanish-colony-may-be-found

More on humans and Australian megafauna:

http://www.physorg.com/news183924703.html


Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog:

http://www.southeastasianarchaeology.com/

New Zealand Archaeology eNews:

http://www.nzarchaeology.org/netsubnews.htm
================================================================
NORTH AMERICA
================================================================
Remains of a 700 b.p. village in Richmond:

http://www.richmondregister.com/localnews/local_story_029201854.html

An archaeologist has changed his mind about the origins of of
the Oxford mound:

http://www.whnt.com/news/sns-ap-al--indianmounddispute,0,7500104.story
http://annistonstar.com/bookmark/5681193
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20100128/NEWS02/1280325/1009/rss04

Interesting feature on some finds from Hilton Head:

http://www.npaper-wehaa.com/bluffton-today/2010/01/26/#?article=739277

Lecture (video) all abaout Tammany Hall:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGVy702gf84&feature=player_profilepage

Feature on the African Burial Ground in Manhattan:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/arts/design/27sankofa.html

Review of a couple of books about executive power in the US:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/books/review/Isaacson-t.html

More on caves and climate change in the Southwest:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100120161243.htm
================================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
================================================================
A tomb from Tonina (Mexico) may shed light on the Maya collapse:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5gHzRAPQqxE5hM1_7NrVtYaSpiNnQ
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100129/sc_afp/mexicoarchaeology
http://www.whnt.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-lt-mexico-mayan-tomb,0,2410373.story
http://www.canadaeast.com/rss/article/935713
http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/ancient-tomb-could-explain-maya-collaspe.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i9HQiCmYdmSW0sqbvUjfCYY0Msog
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2010/01/26/index.php?section=cultura&article=a05n2cul
http://dti.inah.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=39&Itemid=150
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/28/AR2010012800587.html?sub=AR
http://www.physorg.com/news183905797.html

A big Mayan sculptured head from Guatemala:

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/01/26/huge-mayan-head-points-ancient-metropolis/
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,26637318-663,00.html?from=public_rss
http://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/17577/valencian-archaeologists-find-mayan-figurehead-in-guatemala
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/huge-head-discovered-in-ancient-mayan-city-in-guatemala/story-e6frf7lf-1225823642795
http://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/17577/valencian-archaeologists-find-mayan-figurehead-in-guatemala
http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre60o5rc-us-guatemala-archeology/

Followuppish stuff on that pre-Inca 'mythical' temple from Peru:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/01/photogalleries/100129-peru-temple-mythical-naylamp-pictures/?now=2010-01-29-00:01#025755_600x450.jpg(photos!)

Plenty of cultural damage in Haiti:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/world/americas/24heritage.html?hp

More Mochica/Lambayeque finds (semi-repeat):

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=35886 (shaman)
http://enperublog.com/2010/01/23/tomb-of-800-year-old-shaman-discovered/

Rains/flooding are stranding tourists at Machu Picchu:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/6723477/peru-mudslides-strand-2000-tourists/
http://www.usforacle.com/rains-strand-2-000-tourists-at-machu-picchu-ruins-1.2149157
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=7240202&rss=rss-wabc-article-7240202
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N27200263.htm
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/6726511/peru-mudslides-strand-machu-picchu-tourists-5-dead/

Mike Ruggeri's Ancient Americas Breaking News:

http://web.mac.com/michaelruggeri

Ancient MesoAmerica News:

http://ancient-mesoamerica-news-updates.blogspot.com/
================================================================
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
================================================================
I'm not sure whether we've mentioned this DNA story before, but
the results seem to be putting Indo-Europeans in East Asia some
2000 years b.p.:

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/55811/title/Skeleton_of_Western_man_found_in_ancient_Mongolian_tomb

Nice feature on Shelley's Ozymandias:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2010/jan/28/percy-bysshe-shelley-poetry

The man behind Coleridge's ancient mariner:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/31/man-behind-coleridges-ancient-mariner

Interesting interviewish thing with Robert M. Edsel:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/business/26flier.html

Celebrating Chekhov:

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/01/29/arts/entertainment-us-russia-chekhov-anniversary.html

Britain's Academy of Sciences is 350 years old:

http://www.physorg.com/news184127779.html

The evolution of evolution:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20527441.500-horizontal-and-vertical-the-evolution-of-evolution.html?full=true

Was the Mona Lisa a self portrait (this one's weird):

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100129/ap_on_re_eu/eu_leonardo_s_mysteries
http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=35932
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-news/7069335/Leonardo-Da-Vincis-remains-to-be-exhumed-amid-Mona-Lisa-self-portrait-mystery.html
http://www.physorg.com/news183667169.html


A page from the Voynich Manuscript was Astronomy pic of the day:

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap100131.html

The Two Ronnies take on archaeology:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFLOHu8Ozm8

Not sure if we mentioned this Sherlock Holmes copyright thing:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/opinion/24sun4.html

On rising and falling sea levels over the past 2500 years:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-01/uoh-tsl012610.php
http://www.physorg.com/news183723896.html


Nice feature on an archaeology student's presentation at the AIA:

http://www.physorg.com/news183740408.html

Assorted Valentine's Day stuff of varying quality:

http://www.gklife.com/arts-and-culture/why-was-valentines-day-invented250110
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/feature/a-tale-of-st-valentines-day_100309781.html
http://www.pr-inside.com/happy-valentines-day-hotsaleoutlet-com-r1686126.htm

================================================================
TOURISTY THINGS
================================================================
Trebizond (not sure if this is really touristy or not):

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8488238.stm

Aleppo:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/travel/24next.html

David's Tomb:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3830412,00.html
================================================================
BLOGS AND PODCASTS
================================================================
About.com Archaeology:

http://archaeology.about.com/

Archaeology Briefs:

http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/

Naked Archaeology Podcast:

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/archaeology/

Taygete Atlantis excavations blogs aggregator:

http://planet.atlantides.org/taygete/
================================================================
CRIME BEAT
================================================================
Cyprus police busted a major smuggling ring:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8478886.stm
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010886033_apeucyprusantiquitiestheft.html?syndication=rss
http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/ancient-artifacts-theft-smuggling.html
http://www.cyprusweekly.com.cy/main/92,1,283,0,5342-.aspx
http://news.scotsman.com/world/Police-smash-ring-of-antiques.6012514.jp
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=a8FH1zUeQT6I
http://www.canadaeast.com/rss/article/935718
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/25/AR2010012500429.html

Italian police have sealed off a number of looted sites in Puglia:

http://www.littleabout.com/news/62101,stolen-art-treasures-recovered-italy.html

Semi-related to our purview ... interesting report that one of the
9/11 hijackers tried to fund his flying lessons with antiquities
from Afghanistan:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100128/ts_ynews/ynews_ts1086

Oped piece on protecting antiquities in India:

http://beta.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/article96475.ece

Concerns for antiquities traffic and tourism in Nigeria:

http://allafrica.com/stories/201001290733.html

Tomb raiders bulldozed a site in Jiangsu:

http://china.globaltimes.cn/society/2010-01/501682.html

Germany has returned some items to Iraq:

http://www.isria.com/pages/30_January_2010_5.php

Latest update from the Utah case:

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14289840

Looting Matters:

http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/
================================================================
NUMISMATICA
================================================================
A coin from a long-known hoard from the UK turns out to be the
oldest Roman coin in Britain:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/leicestershire/8487870.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7101973/Oldest-Roman-coin-in-Britain-discovered-on-museum-shelf.html
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Roman-coin-oldest-Britain/article-1780460-detail/article.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1247092/Silver-coin-dating-211BC-oldest-piece-Roman-money-Britain.html

Latest E-Sylum newsletter:

http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_v13n04.html

Ancient Coin Collecting:

http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins:

http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/
================================================================
EXHIBITIONS, AUCTIONS, AND MUSEUM-RELATED
================================================================
1001 Inventions:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/01/29/muslim.inventions/

Rome After Raphael:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/arts/design/29raphael.html

Eros: From Hesiod's Theogeny ... :

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/love-sex/desire/the-joy-of-sex--an-ancient-guide-1879995.html

The Author's Portrait:

http://blog.seattlepi.com/bookpatrol/archives/192113.asp?from=blog_last3

Master Drawings New York:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/arts/design/29masters.html

Temples, Tombs and Tumis:

http://www.umaine.edu/hudsonmuseum/Exhibits.html#Temple

Mary Webb, Neglected Genius:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/arts/design/29antiques.html

Vision of Dance:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/arts/26iht-diag.html

Klencke Atlas:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/26/klencke-atlas-british-library-exhibition

Tracing the sources of UPenn Museum's gold:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/yb/140683559

Nice price for a disputed daVinci:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=35938

More on Egypt's claims to Nefertiti:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-26/egypt-relics-chief-pulls-in-revenue-as-he-fights-for-nefertiti.html

... and the Rosetta Stone:

http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=7&id=19656

... and Egyptian antiquities laws:

http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=7&id=19656

The BM v Iran thing continues:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/jan/24/cyrus-cylinder-iran-museum-row

... with the BM apparently needing six months to study the 'new'
fragments:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=117211§ionid=351020105

How museums bet on the Super Bowl:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/super-bowl-wager-provokes-art-museum-trash-talk/

Woman v Picasso ... Picasso loses:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/woman-collides-with-a-picasso
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/24/arts/AP-US-Picasso-Damaged.html

Pedestal collapse at the Met isn't a good thing:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/02/arts/design/01cnd-sculpture.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/09/arts/met-s-15th-century-adam-shatters-as-pedestal-collapses.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/arts/design/28statues.html

... leading, of course, to a feature on 'art catastrophes':

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/nyregion/27about.html

Feature on the 'keeper of Moscow's architectural conscience':

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/arts/design/28appraisal.html

The Huntington has acquired a pile of Charles Dickens' letters:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=35899

A couple's 'umbrella stand' has turned out to be a nicely-priced
Chinese vase:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20100129/tuk-couple-s-umbrella-stand-is-lost-chin-45dbed5.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/dorset/8487181.stm

Old Masters were fetching nice prices:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/arts/30iht-melik30.html

More hype for the terracotta warriors coming to the ROM:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/culture/2010-01/29/c_13155901.htm
http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=35905
================================================================
PERFORMANCES AND THEATRE-RELATED
================================================================
Lucretia:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10028/1031412-388.stm?cmpid=entertainment.xml

Feature on Chopin and Schumann:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/arts/music/24schumann.html

Europa Galante:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/arts/music/26europa.html

Le Poeme Harmonique:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/arts/music/26roundup.html

As You Like It:

http://theater.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/theater/reviews/27like.html
================================================================
OBITUARIES
================================================================
Birthe Kj?lbye-Biddle
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article7002095.ece
Howard Zinn:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/us/29zinn.html

Paul R Jones:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/28/arts/AP-US-Obit-Art-Collector.html
================================================================
PODCASTS
================================================================
The Book and the Spade:

http://www.radioscribe.com/bknspade.htm

The Dig:

http://www.thedigradio.com/

Stone Pages Archaeology News:

http://news.stonepages.com/

Archaeologica Audio News:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org/AudioNews.asp
================================================================
EXPLORATOR is a weekly newsletter representing the fruits of
the labours of 'media research division' of The Atrium. Various
on-line news and magazine sources are scoured for news of the
ancient world (broadly construed: practically anything relating
to archaeology or history prior to about 1700 or so is fair
game) and every Sunday they are delivered to your mailbox free of
charge!
================================================================
Useful Addresses
================================================================
Past issues of Explorator are available on the web via our
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================================================================

From MONTY PYTHON'S LIfE OF BRIAN:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Reg:
All right, Stan. Don't labour the point. And what have they ever given us in return?

Xerxes:
The aqueduct.

Reg:
Oh yeah, yeah they gave us that. Yeah. That's true.

Masked Activist:
And the sanitation!

Stan:
Oh yes... sanitation, Reg, you remember what the city used to be like.

Reg:
All right, I'll grant you that the aqueduct and the sanitation are two things that the Romans have done...

Matthias:
And the roads...

Reg:
(sharply) Well yes obviously the roads... the roads go without saying. But apart from the aqueduct, the sanitation and the roads...

Another Masked Activist:
Irrigation...

Other Masked Voices:
Medicine... Education... Health...

Reg:
Yes... all right, fair enough...

Activist Near Front:
And the wine...

Omnes:
Oh yes! True!

Francis:
Yeah. That's something we'd really miss if the Romans left, Reg.

Masked Activist at Back:
Public baths!

Stan:
And it's safe to walk in the streets at night now.

Francis:
Yes, they certainly know how to keep order... (general nodding)... let's face it, they're the only ones who could in a place like this.

(more general murmurs of agreement)

Reg:
All right... all right... but apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order... what have the Romans done for us?

Xerxes:
Brought peace!

Reg:
(very angry, he's not having a good meeting at all) What!? Oh... (scornfully) Peace, yes... shut up!

Cn. Lentulus M. Piscino pontifici maximo sal.


Thank you for that Pontifex Maxime M. Moravi!

Cura, ut valeas, resque publica tecum valeat!
















[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Just purchased Robert Harris' new novel "Conspirata", set at the time of Cicero's inauguration as consul. I'll let you know what I think :)

Valete!

Cato

Thanks for the tip Cato! I love Robert Harris!. Pompei was a great book. I'm
reading it now for the 3rd time!
Vale,
Diana

----- Original Message -----
From: "Cato" <catoinnyc@...>
To: <Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 1:12 AM
Subject: [Nova-Roma] CONSPIRATA


Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Just purchased Robert Harris' new novel "Conspirata", set at the time of
Cicero's inauguration as consul. I'll let you know what I think :)

Valete!

Cato

M. Moravius Piscinus Quiritibus et omnibus salutem plurimam dicit: Diis bene iuvantibus sumus.

Hodie est Nonae Februariae; haec dies nefastus est: Faunalia rustica et Concordiae

"When the middle parts of Aquarius begin to rise, windy weather begins." ~ Columella, De Re Rustica 9.2.14


FERIAE FAUNALIS RUSTICA

"Amorous Faunus, from whom the Nymphs flee, step lightly across my boundaries and sunny fields, and soon depart, leaving your blessing on my young lambs and kids, and leveled tender shoots. If gentle, at year's end a plumb kid I'll offer, with wine libations liberally poured from the cups of Venus' devotees, and many sweet, fragrant herbs I'll burn on your ancient altar." ~Horace Carmen 3.8.1-8

"Ye Fauns, to rustic farmers ever kind, come! Foot the beat! Fauns and Dryad maids together; your gifts I sing." ~ Virgil, Georgic 1.10

Probus, commenting on Virgil's Georgic 1.10, wrote, "In Italy, whatever they celebrate with an annual sacrifice, also they celebrate monthly."

We know that a Faunalia rustica was held on the Nonae Decembrae and it is posed that the Nonae of every month was likewise dedicated to Faunus in the countryside. In February this is entirely possible, as spring now nears, the time of clearing begins in preparation for the springtime, and two festival dates are celebrated at the Ides as dates on which temples were dedicated to Faunus. In the household rites (sacra privita) there remained the earlier forms of the religio Romana out of which arose the State religion (sacra publica). We can find in the domestic practices the culti Deorum of hearth and farm. We can speculate, with some reason, that the Nonae were dedicated to Faunus, in some respect, with regard to the rural estate, and that this is perhaps reflected in the sacra publica that celebrates the founding of temples for Faunus at Rome. What we do not know with certainty was whether Faunus was included in the domestic rituals of each month. Likely he was in the countryside, and so today we recall Faunus as he shall be celebrated later in the month.


AUC 535 / 218 BCE: L. Manilius, who vowed the temple earlier this year while putting down a mutiny in Cisalpine Gaul, dedicated the
Temple of Concordia.


AUC 707 / 46 BCE: Following the victory of Caesar at Thapsus, M. Porcius Cato Uticensis took his own life, a martyr for his Republican
ideals.

"The battle was long, severe, and doubtful in all parts of the field until toward evening, when victory declared itself on the side of Caesar, who went straight on and captured Scipio's camp and did not desist, even in the night, from reaping the fruits of his victory until he had made a clean sweep. The enemy scattered in small bodies wherever they could. Scipio himself, abandoning everything to Afranius, fled by sea with twelve open ships.

"When these facts became known at Utica some three days later, and as Caesar was marching right against that place, a general flight began. Cato did not detain anybody. He gave ships to all the nobility who asked for them, but himself adhered firmly to his post. When the inhabitants of Utica promised to intercede for him before doing so for themselves, he answered with a smile that he did not need any intercessors with Caesar, and that Caesar knew it very well. Then he placed his seal on all the public property and gave the accounts of each kind to the magistrates of Utica. Toward evening he bathed and dined. He ate in a sitting posture,39 as had been his custom since Pompey's death. He changed his habits in no respect. He partook of the dinner, neither more nor less than usual. He conversed with the others present concerning those who had sailed away and inquiredwhether the wind was favourable and whether they would make sufficient distance before Caesar should arrive the next morning. Nor did he alter any of his habits when he retired to rest, except that he embraced his son rather more affectionately than usual. As he did not find his dirk in its accustomed place by his couch, he exclaimed that he had been betrayed by his servants to the enemy. "What weapon," he asked, "shall I use if I am attacked in the night?" When they besought him to do no violence to himself but to go to sleep without his dirk, he replied still more plausibly, "Could I not strangle myself with my clothing if I wished to, or knock my brains out against the wall, or throw myself headlong to the ground, or destroy myself by holding my breath?" Much more he said to the same purport until he persuaded them to bring back his dirk. When it had been put in its place he called for Plato's treatise on the soul and began to read.

"When Plato's dialogue had come to an end and when he thought that those who were stationed at the doors were asleep, he stabbed himself
under the breast. His intestines protruded and the attendants heard a groan and rushed in. Physicians replaced his intestines, which were still uninjured, in his body, and after sewing up the wound tied a bandage around it. When Cato came to himself he dissembled again. Although he blamed himself for the insufficiency of the wound, he expressed thanks p411to those who had saved him and said that he only needed sleep. The attendants then retired, taking the dirk with them, and closed the door, thinking that he had become quiet. Cato after feigning sleep, tore off the bandage with his hands without making any noise, opened the suture of the wound, enlarged it with his nails like a wild beast, plunged his fingers into his stomach, and tore out his entrails until he died, being then about fifty years of age. He was considered the most steadfast of all men in upholding any opinion that he had once espoused and in adhering to justice, rectitude, and morality, not as a matter of custom merely, but rather from a high-souled philosophy." ~ Appian, The Civil Wars, Excerpts 2.97-99


AUC 751 / 2 BCE: Augustus received the title Pater Patria:

"Sacred Father of the Fatherland, this title has been conferred on you, (Augustus), by the Senate, by the people, and by we Equites. Events had already granted it. Tardily you received your true title, you had long been Father of the World." ~ Ovidius Naso, Fasti 2.127-128

"In my thirtieth consulship the Senate, the equestrian order, and the whole of the People of Rome titled me Pater Patriae. [Furthermore the title was to be] inscribed in the vestibule of my house and in the Curia Julia and in the Forum Augustum beneath the chariot which has been put there in my honor by decree of the Senate." ~ Augustus, Res Gestae 35.1


AUC 965 / 212 CE: Failure to bring Concord between Caracella and his brother Geta

"As for his own brother, Antoninus (Caracella) had wished to slay (Geta) even while his father (Septimus Severus) was yet alive, but had been unable to do so at the time because of Severus, or later, on the march, because of the legions; for the troops felt very kindly toward the younger brother, especially as he resembled his father very closely in appearance. But when Antoninus got back to Rome, he made away with him also. The two pretended to love and commend each other, but in all that they did they were diametrically opposed, and anyone could see that something terrible was bound to result from the situation. This was foreseen even before they reached Rome. For when the senate had voted that sacrifices should be offered on behalf of their concord both to the other Gods and to Concord herself, and the assistants had got ready the victim to be sacrificed to Concord and the consul had arrived to superintend the sacrifice, neither he could find them nor they him, but they spent nearly the entire night in searching for one another, so that the sacrifice could not be performed then. And on the next day two wolves went up on the
Capitol, but were chased away from there; one of them was found and slain somewhere in the Forum and the other was killed later outside the pomerium. This incident also had reference to the brothers." ~ Dio Cassius 78.1.3-6


Our thought for today is from Democritus, The Golden Sayings 28:

"It is good not only to refrain from doing an injury, but even from the very wish."

M. Moravius Piscinus Pontifex Maximus: Quiritibus, cultoribus Deorum ex patriae et omnibus: salutem plurimam dicit:

Hoc Agete!

Sacrum Iunonis Covellae

Ave Dea aeterna, tenes vetusta delubra, castissima Iuno Covella, cuius sanctitas cordi Diis est. Te, Dea, adoramus tuumque nos numen invocamus. Iuno, uti tibi in illis libris scriptum est quarumque rerum ergo quodque melius sit populo Novo Romano Quiritibus tibi sacrum fiat. Te, Dea, quaeso precorque te his donis obmovendis bonas preces precor uti sis volens propitia Populo Novo Romano Quiritibus, Reique Publicae Populi Novi Romani Quiritium, consulibus, praetoribus Populi Novi Romani Quiritium, tribunis Plebei Novae Romanae, Senatui Novo Romano, quaestoribus et magistratibus omnibus Populi Novi Romani Quiritium, nobis, domibus familiisque nostris. Macte his donis.

Iuno Covella, te hoc ture ommovendo bonas preces praecor ut sis volens propitia nobis liberisque notris domibus familiisque nostris.

Huc ades, castissima Iuno Covella, te hoc libo strueque obmovendo bonas preces precor ut sis volens propitia nobis liberisque notris domibus familiisque nostris. macte hoc ferto.


Mensis Februarius dies XXVIII : Nonae quintanae; dies horarum X dodrantis: nox horarum XIII quadrantis; Sol Aquario; Tutela Neptuni : Segetes sariuntur vinearum superficium colitur harundines incenduntur, Parentalia, Lupercalia, Cara Cognato, Terminalia.

FEBRUARIUS

1 N KAL IUNONI SOSPITAE MATRI REGINAE
2 N dies ater
3 N
4 N FORNACALIA
5 N NON Fauno, Concordia.
6 N dies ater
7 N Sementivae
8 N
9 N
10 N
11 N
12 N
13 NP EIDUS religiosus FAUNALIA; VIRGO VESTALIS PARENTATIO
14 N dies ater
15 NP religiosus LUPERCALIA
16 EN religiosus
17 NP religiosus QUIRINALIA
18 C religiosus PARENTALIA
19 C religiosus PARENTALIA
20 C religiosus PARENTALIA
21 F religiosus FERALIA
22 C CARISTIA
23 NP TERMINALIA
24 N REGIFUGIUM
25 C
26 EN
27 NP EQUIRRIA
28 C


Iuno Covella macte ista libatione pollicenda sint, macte lacti inferio sint.

Illicet. Di immortales faciant, tam felix quam pia.

Nil amplius vos hodie posco, superi, satis est.

_________________

Hail, eternal Goddess, You who dwells in ancient temples, most chaste Juno Covella, whose sanctity is pleasing to the hearts of the Gods, We invoke Your presence among us. Juno, as it is prescribed for you in those books – and for this reason may every good fortune attend the people of Nova Roma, the Quirites – let sacrifice be made to you. I beg and pray. In making this offering to you, I pray with good prayers, that You look favorably upon the People of Nova Roma, the Quirites, on the Republic of Nova Roma, on the consuls and praetors of the the People of Nova Roma, the Quirites, on the tribunes of the Plebeians of Nova Roma, on the Senate of Nova Roma, on the quaestors and on all magistrates of the People of Nova Roma, the Quirites, and (finally) on us and our households and on our homes; may this offering strengthen and honor You.

Juno Covella, in offering to You this incense I pray good prayers that You will look kindly and favorably upon our children and upon us, on our homes and on our households.

Come, most chaste Juno, in offering You this libum and strues bread I pray good prayers in order that, pleased with this offering of libum bread, You may be favorable toward us and to our children, to our houses and our households. May You be honored in this.

Juno Covella, may You be strengthened by this libation, may You be honored by this portion of milk.

Thus is it done. May the immortal Gods make it prosper as it is pius.

No more this day do I ask of You, Gods above; it is enough.

Salve, Nova Roma.



http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=288748781057





In the Gods,



Todd Jackson

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Pauo ad Iunonem uenit, indigne ferens
cantus luscinii quod sibi no tribuerit;
illum esse cunctis auribus mirabilem,
se derideri simul ac uocem miserit.
Tunc consolandi gratia dixit dea:
"Sed forma uincis, uincis magnitudine;
nitor smaragdi collo praefulget tuo,
pictisque plumis gemmeam caudam explicas."
"Quo mi" inquit "mutam speciem si uincor sono?"
"Fatorum arbitrio partes sunt uobis datae;
tibi forma, uires aquilae, luscinio melos,
augurium coruo, laeua cornici omina;
omnesque propriis sunt contentae dotibus.
Noli adfectare quod tibi non est datum,
delusa ne spes ad querelam reccidat."

"The peacock made complaint to Juno that, while the nightingale
pleased every ear with his song, he himself no sooner opened his mouth
than he became a laughingstock to all who heard him. The Goddess, to
console him, said, "But you far excel in beauty and in size. The
splendor of the emerald shines in your neck and you unfold a tail
gorgeous with painted plumage." "But for what purpose have I," said
the bird, "this dumb beauty so long as I am surpassed in song?' "The
lot of each," replied Juno, "has been assigned by the will of the
Fates--to thee, beauty; to the eagle, strength; to the nightingale,
song; to the raven, favorable, and to the crow, unfavorable auguries.
These are all contented with the endowments allotted to them." - Aesop

Although Februarius is dedicated to Mars, it is also dedicated to Iuno
Sospita, the Savior (or "Preserver") of the State and the special protector of women and children. Her temple in Rome was in the Forum Holitorium, and her cult, that of Sospita (or "Sispes") was important in Lanuvium as well. The cave where offerings were made is in Lanuvio, which is about 40 km from Rome. The name Lanuvio is thought to be derived from "the goddess covered in wool (lana)": girls offered barley-cakes to the sacred snake in her grove, and if their offerings were accepted, their virginity was confirmed and the year's fertility assured. She wore a goat-skin headdress and carried a spear and a shield.

Iuno may have been one of the earliest of the gods to be called to Rome by evocatio. Livy, in the story of the Battle of Veii, puts this prayer in the mouth of the Roman commander, Furius Camillus:

"Pythian Apollo, guided and inspired by thy will I go forth to destroy the city of Veii, and a tenth part of its spoils I devote to thee. Thee too, Queen Juno, who now dwellest in Veii, I beseech, that thou wouldst follow us, after our victory, to the City which is ours and which will soon be thine, where a temple worthy of thy majesty will receive thee...

"When all that belonged to man had been carried away from Veii, they began to remove from the temples the votive gifts that had been made to the gods, and then the gods themselves; but this they did as worshippers rather than as plunderers. The deportation of Queen Juno to Rome was entrusted to a body of men selected from the whole army, who after performing their ablutions and arraying themselves in white vestments, reverently entered the temple and in a spirit of holy dread placed their hands on the statue, for it was as a rule only the priest of one particular house who, by Etruscan usage, touched it. Then one of them, either under a sudden inspiration, or in a spirit of youthful mirth, said, "Art thou willing, Juno, to go to Rome?" The rest exclaimed that the goddess nodded assent. An addition to the story was made to the effect that she was heard to say, "I am willing." At all events we have it that she was moved from her place by appliances of little power, and proved light and easy of transport, as though she were following of her own accord. She was brought without mishap to the Aventine, her everlasting seat, whither the prayers of the Roman Dictator had called her, and where this same Camillus afterwards dedicated the temple which he had vowed." - Livy History of Rome 5.21, 22

Valete!

Cato

Reminder from:		Nova-Roma Yahoo! Group
Title:		Reminder Ludi Apollinares
Date:		Saturday February 6, 2010
Time:		12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Repeats:		This event repeats every week until Friday July 9, 2010.
Location:		Ludi Apollinares
Notes:		Don't forget to be inspired and start your project for the Ludi honoring Apollo! http://www.novaroma.org/nr/MMDCCLXIII/Ludi_Apollinares
Get reminders on your mobile, Yahoo! Messenger, and email. Edit reminder options

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Ex Officio Consulis Caesonis Fabii Buteonis Quintiliani

Edictum Consulare CFBQ II de candidati Comitia Populi Tributa CFBQ

(The Second Consular edict CFBQ on candidates in Comitia Populi
Tributa CFBQ).


I hereby call for candidates to stand for election to some ordinary
magistracies of the Comitia Populi Tributa.

Anyone wishing to serve in any of these positions must have been a
citizen for at least six months by Kal. Mar. MMDCCLXIII (March 1st,
2010) and be an assiduus (tax-paying) citizen.

I will convene the comitia for the elections at a later time in
February, but candidates are welcome to announce themselves and begin
campaigning if they wish.

All potential candidates must contact me with their intention to stand
for office directly by sending a message to:
christer dot edling at telia dot com
in order to be placed on the ballot. Please include the word
"candidate" in the subject of the message, and be sure to tell me your
full Nova Roman name and the office for which you will campaign.

Simply announcing your candidacy to one of the lists shall not be
accepted. You must write to me directly.

Candidacies will be accepted until 15 February 2009 (18.00 hrs CET
Rome; 12.00 hrs EST Philadelphia).

As I need some advise about proper dates I will have to come back with
the exact dates for contio and election.

On behalf of the Res Publica Libera Senatus Populique Novae Romae I,
Caeso Fabius Buteo Quintilianus, Consul, hereby issue this call for
candidates for the following offices:


IV QUAESTORES: Must be at least 21 years old as of Kal. Mar. 2763
(March 1st, 2010). Must be assiduus.
I ROGATORES: Must be at least 21 years old as of Kal. Mar. 2763 (March
1st, 2010). Must be assiduus.


I DIRIBITORES: Must be at least 21 years old as of Kal. Mar. 2763
(March 1st, 2010). Must be assiduus.


Given this 6th of February, in the year of the Consulship of P.
Memmius Albucius and the Second Consulship of K.Fabius Buteo
Quintilianus, 2763 AUC.

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

Caeso Fabius Buteo Quintilianus

Consul Iterum
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






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

C. Petronius omnibus Quiritibus s.p.d.,

> candidates for the following offices:
> IV QUAESTORES: Must be at least 21 years old as of Kal. Mar. 2763
> (March 1st, 2010). Must be assiduus.
> I ROGATOR: Must be at least 21 years old as of Kal. Mar. 2763 (March
> 1st, 2010). Must be assiduus.
> I DIRIBITOR: Must be at least 21 years old as of Kal. Mar. 2763
> (March 1st, 2010). Must be assiduus.

Fellow citizens, male and female, it is the occasion and opportunity for you to have a interesting part within life of Nova Roma. Quaestorship is the beginning of the cursus honorum. I read much of you saying that Nova Roma is dying, articulo mortis. So, give her your wishes to be involved in!

Nova Roma needs you to be more and more attractive.

Optime valete.

C. Petronius Dexter
Tribunus Plebis Arcoiali scribebat
a.d. VIII Id. Feb. P. Memmio K. Fabio II coss.

C. Petronius Theodorico Iacobi filio s.p.d.,

Test:
Κύκλος ἉÏ€όλλων.

C. Petronius Dexter
Arcoiali scribebat
a.d. VII Id. Feb. P. Memmio K. Fabio II coss.

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

"Muses, sweet-speaking daughters of Zeus Kronides and mistresses of
song, sing next of long-winged Moon! From her immortal head a
heaven-sent glow envelops the earth and great beauty arises under its
radiance. From her golden crown the dim air is made to glitter as her
rays turn night to noon, whenever bright Selene, having bathed her
beautiful skin in the Ocean, put on her shining rainment and harnessed
her proud-necked and glittering steeds, swiftly drives them on as
their manes play with the evening, dividing the months. Her great
orbit is full and as she waxes a most brilliant light appears in the
sky. Thus to mortals she is a sign and a token." - Homer, Hymn to Selene 2

In ancient Greece, today was dedicated to the goddess Selene. She
represents the full moon phase of the lunar cycle, along with Artemis
(the crescent new moon) and Hekate (the waning moon). Like her brother
Helios, she drives a chariot through the sky each night; hers is
usually drawn by two horses. By Zeus, she is the mother of Pandia
(All-bright) and Ersa (Dew).

"Selene, they say, fell in love with this Endymion and bore him fifty daughters... As to the death of Enydmion, the people of Herakleia near Miletos do not agree with the Eleans; for while the Eleans who a tomb of Endymion, the folk of Herakleia say that he retired to Mount Latmos and give him honour, there being a shrine of Endymion on Latmos." - Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.1.4-5

"This mountain [Mt Latmos] lies above Herakleia [in Lydia], and at a high elevation. At a slight distance away from it, after one has crossed a little river near Latmos, there is to be seen the sepulchre of Endymion, in a cave." - Strabo, Geography 14.1.8

By Endymion, she is the mother of fifty daughters, who represent the fifty lunar months that elapse between each Olympiad. The days of the full and new moon were set aside for her worship. Endymion was a beautiful shepherd boy of Asia Minor. Each night he was kissed to sleep by her. She begged Zeus to grant him eternal life so she might be able to embrace him forever. Endymion was allowed to choose what he would, and he chose to sleep for ever, remaining deathless and ageless. Zeus granted his wish, and every night Selene visits him on Mt. Latmos.

In Rome, Selene's counterpart Luna (the moon) had a temple on the Aventine Hill, with prid. kal. Aprilis (31 March) dedicated to her. It was built in the 6th century B.C. but was destroyed in the Great Fire of Rome under Nero.


Valete bene!

Cato

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodie est ante diem VII Idus Februarius; haec dies nefastus est.

"The Veientes and Fidenates, who inhabited large and populous cities,
had in the reign of Romulus engaged in a war with the Romans for
command and sovereignty, and after losing many armies in the course of
the war and being punished by the loss of part of their territory,
they had been forced to become subjects of the conquerors; concerning
which I have given a precise account in the preceding Book. But
having enjoyed an uninterrupted peace during the reign of Numa
Pompilius, they had greatly increased in population, wealth and every
other form of prosperity. Elated, therefore, by these advantages, they
again aspired to freedom, assumed a bolder spirit and prepared to
yield obedience to the Romans no longer. For a time, indeed, their
intention of revolting remained undiscovered, but during the Alban war
it became manifest. For when they learned that the Romans had marched
out with all their forces to engaged the Albans, they thought that
they had now got the most favourable opportunity for their attack, and
through their most influential men they entered into a secret
conspiracy. It was arranged that all who were capable of bearing arms
should assemble in Fidenae, going secretly, a few at a time, so as to
escape as far as possible the notice of to against whom the plot was
aimed, and should remain there awaiting the moment when the armies of
the Romans and Albans should quit their camps and march out to battle,
the actual time to be indicated to them by means of signals given by
some scouts posted on the mountains; and as soon as the signals were
raised they were all to take arms and advance in haste against the
combatants (the road leading from Fidenae to the camps was not a long
one, but only a march of two or three hours at most), and appearing on
the battlefield at the time when presumably the conflict would be
over, they were to regard neither side as friends, but whether the
Romans or the Albans had won, were to slay the victors. This was the
plan of action on which the chiefs of those cities had determined.
If, therefore, the Albans, in their contempt for the Romans, had
rushed more boldly into an engagement and had resolved to stake
everything upon the issue of a single battle, nothing could have
hindered the treachery contrived against them from remaining secret
and both their armies from being destroyed. But as it was, their delay
in beginning war, contrary to all expectations, and the length of time
they employed in making their preparations were bringing their foes'
plans to nought. For some of the conspirators, either seeking to
compass their private advantage or envying their leaders and those who
had been the authors of the undertaking or fearing that others might
lay information — a thing which has often happened in conspiracies
where there are many accomplices and the execution is long delayed —
or being compelled by the will of Heaven, which could not consent that
a wicked design should meet with success, informed their enemies of
the treachery." - Dionysius of Halicarnassus 3.6

Valete,

Cato

C. Petronius omnibus s.p.d.,

What is the program of the Ludi Apollinares, this year?

Valete.

C. Petronius Dexter
Arcoiali scribebat
a.d. VII Id. Feb. P. Memmio K. Fabio II coss.

M. Lucretius C. Petronio sal.

All information so far is here: http://www.novaroma.org/nr/MMDCCLXIII/Ludi_Apollinares

bene vale

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "petronius_dexter" <jfarnoud94@...> wrote:
>
> C. Petronius omnibus s.p.d.,
>
> What is the program of the Ludi Apollinares, this year?
>
> Valete.
>
> C. Petronius Dexter
> Arcoiali scribebat
> a.d. VII Id. Feb. P. Memmio K. Fabio II coss.
>

M. Moravius Piscinus Quiritibus, cultoribus Deorum et omnibus salutem plurimam dicit: Bene omnibus nobis

Hodie est ante diem VI Eidus Februariae; haec dies nefastus est: dies natalis Quirini

"Windy tempests (this way comes)." ~ Columella, De Re Rustica 9.2.16

And so they did over the week-end. The snow storm that hit my area of the country was not unusual. Overnight I had between 12 to 18 inches of snow (30 to 45 cm). We made an ice altar decorated with juniper and candles, and set out candles in the snow where bounding squirrels had left their foot prints, and held a lovely feast to celebrate the winter. But for some reason I was unable to access Yahoo Groups; I don't know what their problem was.

And meanwhile I missed the dies natalis of our Sacerdotus Neptunalis on 5 February.

Felices natalis, Violentilla Galeria Salatrix ! Di tibi dent quae velis.

A very merry, if somewhat belated, birthday. For you, by whose service you partake in the Gods, may the Gods grant what you most desire, and may you dance before the very Gods.

Di Deaeque omnes te ament


PURIFICATION

"The fathers of Rome called purification februa. Many things still indicate that meaning for the word. The pontifices ask the Rex and the Flamen for woollen fillets, called februa in the ancient tongue. When houses are cleansed, the roasted grain and salt, the lictor receives, are called by the same name. The same name too is given to the branch, cut from a pure tree, whose leaves wreathe the sacerdotes' holy brows. I've seen the Flaminica (Dialis) ask for februa, and at her request she was given a branch of pine. In short anything used to purify our bodies, had that title in the days of our unshaven ancestors." ~ P. Ovidius Naso, Fasti 2.19-30

February is the month of purification. Varro offers two reasons for the name of the month, both related to purification, and both probably correct.

"[According to Servius Fulvius Flaccus, cons. 135 BCE] 'February' (comes) from the Di inferi, gods of the Underworld, because at that time expiatory sacrifices are made to them, but I think that it was called February rather from the dies februatus (Purification Days), because then the people are purified (februator)." ~ M. Terentius Varro Reatinus, De Lingua Latina 6.34

Varro also said that februa was a Sabine word. The bough of the "arbor pura" to which Ovid referred above was laurel. Another arbor pura is called the Sabine herb. This was savin juniper used for purification rites by women and offered at wedding ceremonies as an incense of purification. The Picea (pitch pine, fir, or faux sapin) is another kind of februa. Pliny mentioned its use in embalming and as a funereal tree (arbor feralis). It was, and still is, used instead of frankincense as a cheap substitute. Ovid says that the flamenica Dialis instead received pinea virga as her februa. This tree, the pinus pinea, was sacred to Juno, and thus used in the rites performed by the flamenica Dialis. The The woolen fillets that Ovid said were received by the pontifices from the Rex Sacrorum and the flamen Dialis were traditionally made by the virgin daughters of the latter two sacerdotes. The wooolen fillets were wound around altars, and worn by sacerdotes, tied around their brows, to signify a state of ritual purity. Whenever someone died in his or her house, and most Romans did, the lictores who were assigned to the flamen Dialis, Vestales, or other sacerdotes, were sent to purify the house. They did so by casting "mica far" that was similar to the mola salsa prepared by the Vestales. That is, it was a salted grain meal, used as a dusting powder and probably then swept up to take away the impurities. What that really meant was that with the approach of death, as one lay in his death bed, Manes might gather in the house. So, like the ceremony that Ovid described for Lemuria, an offering is first made to the unwanted Manes, then it is swept up and buried in some appropriate place as an offering to the Di inferni, and any others who still remained might be chased away with gongs. Fumigations using purifying tress as fuel was another method of purification, and in some cases sulfur was added to the fire as a februa. Finally, the hides of sacrificial animals were used as februa in some rites, such as the skin of a sheep sacrificed at a confarreatio marriage ceremony, on which the bride and groom were seated; one sheep hide draped over two chairs to signify their union. One particular example are the straps of skin cut from the sacrificial goat and worn by the lurperci were also called februa. As the luperci ran at Lupercalia, the februa tied at their wastes, anyone touched by these straps were purified. And for women, if purified before the Gods, they would receive divine assistance in becoming fertile. Often the Lupercalia is misperceived as a fertility ritual, but the only reason that this is so construed is how the Romans believed, even into the Christian era, that female purity related to her ability to bear children. In a sense, it was thought that bearing children was a proof of a woman's chastity and purity. The purification ritual of Lupercali, as Varro tells us, was another reason for the name given to this month. "In short, anything used to purify our bodies" is called februa.


AUC 328 /325 BCE: The dictator L. Papirius Cursor defeats the Samnites in the Second Samnite War

"When the health of the army was completely restored he gave battle to the enemy, both he and his men feeling quite confident of victory, and he so completely defeated and routed the Samnites that this was the last occasion on which they ventured on a regular engagement with the Dictator. After this the victorious army advanced in every direction where there was any prospect of plunder, but wherever they marched they found no armed force; they were nowhere openly attacked or surprised from ambush. They showed all the greater alertness because the Dictator had issued an order that the whole of the spoil was to be given to the soldiers; the chance of private gain stimulated their warlike spirit quite as much as the consciousness that they were avenging the wrongs of their country. Cowed by these defeats, the Samnites made overtures for peace and gave the Dictator an undertaking to supply each of the soldiers with a set of garments and a year's pay. On his referring them to the senate they replied that they would follow him to Rome and trust their cause solely to his honour and rectitude. The army was thereupon withdrawn from Samnium." ~ Titus Livius 8.36


AUC 460 / 293 BCE: L. Papirius Cursor, son of the dictator, holds a triumph and dedicates the Temple of Quirinus, vowed by his father, during the Third Samnite War.

"Everything was now deep in snow, and it was impossible to remain any longer in the open, so the consul withdrew his army from Samnium. On his approach to Rome a triumph was granted to him by universal consent. This triumph, which he celebrated while still in office, was a very brilliant one for those days. The infantry and cavalry who marched in the procession were conspicuous with their decorations, many were wearing civic, mural, and vallarian crowns. The spoils of the Samnites attracted much attention; their splendour and beauty were compared with those which the consul's father had won, and which were familiar to all through their being used as decorations of public places. Amongst those in the victor's train were some prisoners of high rank distinguished for their own or their fathers' military services; there were also carried in the procession 2,533,000 bronze ases, stated to be the proceeds of the sale of the prisoners, and 1830 pounds of silver taken from the cities. All the silver and bronze was stored in the treasury, none of this was given to the soldiers. This created dissatisfaction amongst the plebs, which was aggravated by the collection of the war tax to provide the soldiers' pay, for if Papirius had not been so anxious to get the credit of paying the price of the prisoners into the treasury there would have been enough to make a gift to the soldiers and also to furnish their pay. He dedicated the temple of Quirinus. I do not find in any ancient author that it was he who vowed this temple in the crisis of a battle, and certainly he could not have completed it in so short a time; it was vowed by his father when Dictator, and the son dedicated it when consul. and adorned it with the spoils of the enemy. There was such a vast quantity of these that not only were the temple and the Forum adorned with them, but they were distributed amongst the allied peoples and the nearest colonies to decorate their public spaces and temples. After his triumph Papirius led his army into the neighbourhood of Vescia, as that district was still infested by the Samnites, and there he wintered." ~ Titus Livius 10.46


Our thought for today comes from Epicurus, Vatican 23

"Every friendship in itself is to be desired; but the initial cause of friendship is from its advantages."

M. Hortensia C. Petronio M. Lucretio spd;
I'm writing to different groups so they will get involved too, the various provincae in their own languages, though one day we will all speak Latin!
vale
Maior

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "marcus.lucretius" <marcus.lucretius@...> wrote:
>
> M. Lucretius C. Petronio sal.
>
> All information so far is here: http://www.novaroma.org/nr/MMDCCLXIII/Ludi_Apollinares
>
> bene vale
>
>
>
> --- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "petronius_dexter" <jfarnoud94@> wrote:
> >
> > C. Petronius omnibus s.p.d.,
> >
> > What is the program of the Ludi Apollinares, this year?
> >
> > Valete.
> >
> > C. Petronius Dexter
> > Arcoiali scribebat
> > a.d. VII Id. Feb. P. Memmio K. Fabio II coss.
> >
>

M. Moravius Piscinus Quiritibus, cultoribus Deorum et omnibus salutem plurimam dicit:

Hodie est ante diem V Eidus Februariae; haec dies nefastus est:

"Five days after the Nones, when Venus, the Morning Star, has lifted its brightness from the ocean waves, these are the first days of spring. But don't be misled: cold days are still in wait for you, departing winter leaves sharp traces behind." ~ Ovidius Naso, Fasti 2.149-152

"As soon as (Favonius) begins to prevail, it indicates that the time has arrived for pruning the vine, weeding the corn, planting trees, grafting fruit-trees, and trimming the olive, for its breezes are productive of the most nutritious effects." ~ Pliny NH 18.77

CONSIDERATIONS ON FEBRUA

Many different articles of nature were believed to have a purifying effect, each for their own reason, while other things were thought to have a polluting effect. Often times it was the situation, or the ritual being performed, or the person performing the rite, or the place from whence it came that might determine whether something was februa or something else. According to Livy, in their rites the Fetiales, for example, were touched on the forehead with special herbs taken from the grounds of the Capitolium. It was where they grew, in the precinct of Jupiter, that made these herbs so special as to become februa. Pliny tells us that the herb was vervain (verbena officinalis)and that it was "borne in the hands of fetiales when treating with the enemy, with this (herb) that the table of Jupiter is cleansed, with this that houses are purified and due expiation made (Pliny, Hist. Nat. 25.59)." Other herbs that Pliny mentions for ritual use are the peony in rites for Faunus, henbane for rites of Hercules, centaury, Asculapius weed, moly, Mercuralis and several other herbs, as well as various trees sacred to one deity or another. Myrtle, being one of these trees, was sacred to Venus and thus used in rites for Her. But for that very reason, myrtle was prohibited from rites for Fauna and the Bona Dea. The olive tree is sacred to Minerva Medica, the laurel sacred to Apollo Medicus, and thus both would be used in rites of purification performed in conjunction with healing rites. But being sacred trees, and februa for rites involving celestial deities, the use of olive-wood and laurel was strictly forbidden from rites of purification that involved the Manes. Another example is the arbutus used to anoint a door in a purification ritual meant to protect a house against witchcraft. "Quickly she touched the doorposts, one after the other, three times, with arbutus leaves, three times with arbutus marked the threshold: sprinkled the entrance with water, medicinal water, while holding the entrails of a two-month sow." This rite was further enhanced by a "rod of Janus" which was a thorn of the whitethorn tree used as a talisman to keep the strigae at bay (see Ovid, Fasti 6.131-168).

Water is the premier februa as it is used in all rituals to cleanse an area, an altar, impliments, offerings and persons. Yet it could not be just any water. Pure water, intended for ritual use, must come flowing from a natural source. Water that is carried by pipes from reservoirs is ritually impure. So one had to collect water from springs, streams, or rivers, but not just any source. The River Tiber is often mentioned in purification rites. It flows to the sea and thus carried evil away from Rome. An example of this followed the sack of Rome in 390 BCE when the debris of the City's destruction was thrown into the Tiber to purify the City and its shrines of the foreign contagion. Its use in this way came each year at Vestalia when the purgamina was throw into the Tiber. For the same reason, people would wash themselves in the Tiber as a purification ritual, or at least asperse themselves with its water. Thus we find Claudia Quinta wet her hair three times before praying to Magna Mater (Ovid, Fasti 4.305-328). Vestals accused of wrong-doing likewise purified themselves beside the River Tiber to demonstrate their purity. And a Sabine, come to Rome to sacrifice an exceptional white bull at the Temple of Diana, is told that he must first purify himself in the Tiber (Livy 1.45.6-7). In contrast, we see Horace describing evil rites of black magic where the witch Sagana asperse a house that she intends to curse with stagnant water drawn from Lake Avernus, a crater lake that was believed to be a gateway to Hades because of its sulfurous nature (Horace, Epode 5.25-26). The waters of Avernus is also mentioned in the dark rite of Dido, along with "soft herbs cut by moonlight with a blade of bronze, oozing black poison-sap (Virgil, Aen. 4.511-518)."

With the rite of Dido is another point brought up, the conditions under which februa is gathered. Some februa, like mola salsa or the woolen fillets used by sacerdotes to purify altars and themselves, had to be produced by virgin daughters, or by the Vestales Virgines in the case of certain sacerdotes. Herbs gathered for ritual use were ritually collected. Peony had to be gathered at night, as other poisonous plants were likewise gathered usually at night. Concentric circles were drawn around some plants before collecting them. This is most known to have been practiced with mandragora as the practice continued into Medieval times, but classic authors mention the same with other plants. Pliny mentions approaching some herbs from different directions, depending on the wind as a guide. And prayers were spoken to the genius of the plant before it was gathered for ritual use, much as the genius of the River Tiber was prayed to before ritually partaking of His waters. Some examples of such prayers follow.

"Vettonica, who first was discovered by Aesculapius, I pray, may you attend these prayers; of all the herbs will you be called great for this, that he has command you to be created and many remedies to offer. These you will think worthy to be forty-two (Appel no. 109: Iberian foxtail betony)."

"Proserpina's herb, king Horcus' daughter, in the same way as you have blocked off the birth of a she-mule, thus may you hold back this water and blood (Appel no. 105: penny royal)."

"Herb Eriphia, come to my begging and may your glad powers be close at hand, and by her, who Aesculapius or else the centaur Chiron, the great doctor of medicine, discovered in you, will all be most healthy (Appel no. 111: lesser centaury)."

Thus, in considering what to use as februa, some of the considerations to keep in mind are what it is, to which God or Goddess is it dedicated (and for which deities it might be prohibited), how it is gathered, from where it is gathered (whether from a templum or some profane place), under what conditions it is gathered (day, night, the hour, storms, wind direction), using what impliments to gather it (usually bronze), in a ritual manner that requests permission to gather it from its individual genius, and perhaps most importantly, its intended use. All of these considerations determine what is or is not februa for any given occasion.


AUC 696 / 57 BCE: Cato inveighs against Pompeius Magnus

"On the 9th of February, the Senate, meeting in the temple of Apollo, passed a decree "that what had taken place on the 7th of February was treasonable." On this day Cato warmly inveighed against Pompey, and throughout his speech arraigned him as though he were at the bar. He said a great deal about me, to my disgust, though it was in very laudatory terms. When he attacked Pompey's perfidy to me, he was listened to in profound silence on the part of my enemies. Pompey answered him boldly with a palpable allusion to Crassus, and said outright that 'he would take better precautions to protect his life than Africanus (Scipio Aemilianus) had done, whom C. Carbo had assassinated (129 BCE).' Accordingly, important events appear to me to be in the wind. For Pompey understands what is going on, and imparts to me that plots are being formed against his life, that Gaius Cato is being supported by Crassus, that money is being supplied to Clodius, that both are backed by Crassus and Curio, as well as by Bibulus and his other detractors: that he must take extraordinary precautions to prevent being overpowered by that demagogue - with a people all but wholly alienated, a nobility hostile, a senate ill-affected, and the younger men corrupt. So he is making his preparations and summoning men from the country. On his part, Clodius is rallying his gangs: a body of men is being got together for the Quirinalia. For that occasion we are considerably in a majority, owing to the forces brought up by Pompey himself: and a large contingent is expected from Picenum and Gallia, to enable us to throw out Cato's bills also about Milo and Lentulus." ~ M. Tullius Cicero, Epist. Ad Quint. 2.3

Just months earlier Pompeius had entered Rome in triumph. It was then that the crowds first hailed him as Magnus and when he was at the height of his popularity. In 57 BCE he was given commission over Rome's food supply for five years and had Cicero returned from exile. Caesar would be away campaigning in Belgica this year. This left Crassus and Pompeius to wrestle each other for control of the City. Politically it became a tumultuous year. The one person opposing the schemes of both Pompeius and Crassus was Cato. A rather clever maneuver sent Cato away.

"A law was carried that Cyprus should be organized as a province and the royal funds should be confiscated, and Marcus [Porcius] Cato was sent to administer the matter." ~ Titus Livius, Perioche 104.6

However, Cato still had friends and family even while he was away. Gaius Cato was elected tribune and would veto the elections. Marcus Cato would return to run for the praetorship, but was defeated by Vatinius. In the following year (55 BCE), "When this same man [Gaius Cato] tried to obstruct a law in which provinces were allotted to the consuls for five years (Hispania to Pompey, Syria and the Parthian war to Crassus), he was put into irons by tribune Gaius Trebonius, who had proposed the law (Perioche 105.3)." Cicero returned in 57 BCE supported by Pompeius, and he in turn supporting Pompeius, thinking that all would soon be set right at Rome with the ascendancy of his patron Pomeius Magnus. In hindsight it is now seen how in its 450th year the seeds were planted that would unravel the Republic.


Our thought for today is from the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 5.22:

"That which does no harm to the state, does no harm to the citizen. In the case of every appearance of harm apply this rule: if the state is not harmed by this, neither am I harmed. But if the state is harmed, you must not be angry with him who does harm to the state. Instead show him where his error is."

Salvete Praetrices Equestria Laeca et Marca Maior

Known for being a remarkably bad poet, and having no musical abilities, my horrible singing eclipsed only by my unbearable poetry, I suppose I shall have to paint. I have begun a diptych in caustic on clay tabulae of Asculapius and Hygenia, perhaps by Sextilius I shall even be able to finish them.

Valete optime
M. Moravius Piscinus

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "marcus.lucretius" <marcus.lucretius@...> wrote:
>
> M. Lucretius C. Petronio sal.
>
> All information so far is here: http://www.novaroma.org/nr/MMDCCLXIII/Ludi_Apollinares
>
> bene vale
>
>
>
> --- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "petronius_dexter" <jfarnoud94@> wrote:
> >
> > C. Petronius omnibus s.p.d.,
> >
> > What is the program of the Ludi Apollinares, this year?
> >
> > Valete.
> >
> > C. Petronius Dexter
> > Arcoiali scribebat
> > a.d. VII Id. Feb. P. Memmio K. Fabio II coss.
> >
>

Salvete Novi Romani
vi trasmetto interessante informazione

Valete Bene
C.Aurelius Vindex
Progetto "I Salone dell'Editoria Archeologica"
Redazione Archaeogate, 27-01-2010
Il progetto I Salone dell'editoria archeologica, promosso dalla Ediarché Srl
consiste nella realizzazione di una fiera espositiva e manifestazione
culturale avente come protagonista principale il libro di archeologia
intorno al quale è prevista l'organizzazione di una serie di eventi legati
all'editoria e all'archeologia.
La manifestazione si terrà a Roma dal 20 al 23 Maggio presso il Museo
Nazionale Preistorico Etnografico "L. Pigorini", sede dell
esposizione-vendita di libri di archeologia, storia e storia dell'arte
antica, all'interno di stand espositivi.

La prestigiosa istituzione pubblica è al servizio della società
multiculturale e del suo sviluppo civile, impegnata nella ricerca, nella
salvaguardia e nella promozione della comunicazione - a fini conoscitivi,
educativi e ricreativi - del patrimonio materiale e immateriale d'interesse
paletnologico ed etnoantropologico.
Un ricco programma di eventi collaterali di elevato valore culturale
accompagna l'esposizione-vendita.
Nel presente progetto, il I Salone dell'editoria archeologica si fa luogo di
incontro e scambio culturale tra case editrici specializzate e operatori del
settore, Istituzioni, Enti Pubblici, Musei, Università, Centri di ricerca,
Società e Cooperative archeologiche, Agenzie specializzate nel Turismo
culturale, Associazioni Culturali, fino a coinvolgere gli appassionati e i
curiosi dell'antichità.

Gli stand delle case editrici, nel percorso espositivo organizzato,
usufruiscono di un suggestivo scenario creato dall'esposizione di reperti
archeologici o immagini fotografiche messe a disposizione da musei o case d
arte; in aggiunta si inserisce, nel contesto museale e dunque espositivo
prescelto, anche l'esposizione del materiale archeologico recuperato dal
Gruppo Tutela Patrimonio Archeologico del Nucleo Polizia Tributaria di Roma
della Guardia di Finanza (di cui è già stata resa esplicita la
disponibilità) e dal Comando dei Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale;
infine, il percorso prevede anche un'area espositiva dedicata all
archeologia marittima e a tecnologie multimediali legate ai Beni Culturali.

Il Museo "L. Pigorini" si fa quindi luogo di incontro e scambio culturale tra case editrici specializzate e operatori del settore, Istituzioni, Enti pubblici, Musei, Università, Centri di ricerca, fino a coinvolgere gli appassionati di antichità, presentando loro un'esposizione finalizzata alla promozione e vendita di libri di archeologia, storia e storia dell'arte, romanzi storici, volumi antichi, strumentazioni, tecnologie legate all'archeologia.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Salvete Novi Romani,
trasmetto link sito interessante
Valete Bene
CAV
http://www.archaeogate.org/classica/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Salvete Novi Romani
trasmetto link interessante
Valete Bene
C.Aurelius Vindex
http://www.parchilagomaggiore.it/archeo.htm

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Salvete Novi Romani
interessante articolo
Valete Bene
C.Aurelius Vindex

Baia, il satellite riscopre un teatro romano

Scritto da Corriere del Mezzogiorno, 12-01-2010 00:00
Pagina vista : 134
Pubblicato in : Ritrovamenti, Ritrovamenti nel Mediterraneo

A pochi metri dalla costa visibili gli antichi resti della cavea della Villa
di Cesare
Opera d'età imperiale nei fondali del castello aragonese
NAPOLI - Era il lontano 1956, quando Raimondo Bucher - ufficiale pilota da
caccia – scoprì durante una ricognizione aerea, giacere a soli pochi metri
dalla linea di costa, un'intera città romana collocata sui fondali del golfo
di Pozzuoli. Come ebbe a dire poco dopo, durante un'intervista: «Era da poco
passata la guerra, uscivo di pattuglia sul mare partendo dall'aeroporto di
Capodichino. Dall'alto, in una giornata caratterizzata dalla straordinaria
limpidezza del cielo e del mare, intravidi forme sottomarine simmetriche e
regolari. Incuriosito, decisi pertanto di scattare dal cielo alcune
fotografie, che ancora oggi restano per la loro limpidezza, testimonianza
ineguagliata. Dopo lo sviluppo ebbi la sconcertante sorpresa: dalle stampe
apparvero nella loro chiarezza quelle che inequivocabilmente erano mura,
strade, e costruzioni di un'antica città sommersa. Erano i resti della
antica città romana di Baia».

L'articolo completo è disponibile qui:
http://corrieredelmezzogiorno.corriere.it/napoli/notizie/arte_e_cultura/2010/12-gennaio-2010/baia-satellite-riscopre-teatro-romano-1602276819530.shtml

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

"I will remember and not be unmindful of Apollo who shoots afar. As he
goes through the house of Zeus, the gods tremble before him and all
spring up from their seats when he draws near, as he bends his bright
bow. But Leto alone stays by the side of Zeus who delights in thunder;
and then she unstrings his bow, and closes his quiver, and takes his
archery from his strong shoulders in her hands and hangs them on a
golden peg against a pillar of his father's house. Then she leads him
to a seat and makes him sit: and the Father gives him nectar in a
golden cup welcoming his dear son, while the other gods make him sit
down there, and queenly Leto rejoices because she bare a mighty son
and an archer. Rejoice, blessed Leto, for you bare glorious children,
the lord Apollo and Artemis who delights in arrows; her in Ortygia,
and him in rocky Delos, as you rested against the great mass of the
Cynthian hill hard by a palm-tree by the streams of Inopus." - Homer,
Hymn to the Delian Apollo

In ancient Greece, today was dedicated to Apollo. The son of Zeus and
Leto and the twin brother of Artemis. Apollo was the god of music
(principally the lyre, and he directed the choir of the Muses) and
also of prophecy, colonization, medicine, archery (but not for war or
hunting), poetry, dance, intellectual inquiry and the carer of herds
and flocks. He was also a god of light, known as "Phoebus" (radiant or
beaming, and he was sometimes identified with Helios the sun god). He
was also the god of plague and was worshiped as Smintheus (from
sminthos, rat) and as Parnopius (from parnops, grasshopper) and was
known as the destroyer of rats and locusts, and according to Homer's
Iliad, Apollo shot arrows of plague into the Greek camp. Apollo being
the god of religious healing would give those guilty of murder and
other immoral deeds a ritual purification. Sacred to Apollo are the
swan (one legend says that Apollo flew on the back of a swan to the
land of the Hyperboreans and he would spend the winter months among
them), the wolf and the dolphin. His attributes are the bow and
arrows, on his head a laurel crown, and the cithara (or lyre) and
plectrum. But his most famous attribute is the tripod, the symbol of
his prophetic powers.

When the goddesss Hera, the wife of Zeus (it was he who had coupled
with Leto) found out about Leto's pregnancy, she was outraged with
jealousy. Seeking revenge Hera forced Leto to roam the earth in search
of a place to give birth. Since Hera had forbidden Leto to stay
anywhere on earth, either on terra firma or an island at sea, the only
place to seek shelter was Delos, being in the center of the Aegean,
and also difficult to reach, as there were strong under-currents,
because it was said to be a floating island. Because it was a floating
island, it was not considered either of Hera's prohibitions, and so
Leto was able to give birth to the divine twins Apollo and Artemis
(before Leto gave birth to Apollo, the island was encircled by a flock
of swans, this is why the swan was sacred to him). As a gesture of
thanks Delos was secured to the sea-bed by four columns to give it
stability, and from then on it became one of the most important
sanctuaries to Apollo.

"I sprang upon the ship in the form of a dolphin, pray to me as Apollo
Delphinius; also the altar itself shall be called Delphinius ..." -
Homer, Hymn to the Pythian Apollo 493

Apollo's first achievement was to rid Pytho (Delphi) of the serpent
(or dragon) Python. This monstrous beast protected the sanctuary of
Pytho from its lair beside the Castalian Spring. There it stood guard
while the "Sibyl" gave out her prophecies as she inhaled the trance
inducing vapors from an open chasm. Apollo killed Python with his bow
and arrows (Homer wrote "he killed the fearsome dragon Python,
piercing it with his darts"). Apollo not only took charge of the
oracle but rid the neighboring countryside of widespread destruction,
as Python had destroyed crops, sacked villages and polluted streams
and springs. However, to make amends for killing Python, as the
fearsome beast was the son of Gaia, Apollo had to serve king Admetus
for nine years (in some versions eight) as a cowherd. This he did, and
when he returned to Pytho he came in the guise of a dolphin bringing
with him priests from Crete (Apollo's cult title "Delphinios" meaning
dolphin or porpoise, is probably how Delphi was so named). After
killing Python and taking possession of the oracle, the god of light
(Phobus) became known as "Pythian Apollo". He dedicated a bronze
tripod to the sanctuary and bestowed divine powers on one of the
priestesses, and she became known as the "Pythia". It was she who
inhaled the hallucinating vapors from the fissure in the temple floor,
while she sat on a tripod chewing laurel leaves. After she mumbled her
answer, a male priest would translate it for the supplicant. Delphi
became the most important oracle center of Apollo, there were several
including Clarus and Branchidae.

Apollo, as with Zeus his father, had many love affairs with goddesses
and mortals. Apollo's infatuation for the nymph Daphne, which had been
invoked by the young god of love Eros, because Apollo had mocked him,
saying his archery skills were pathetic, and Apollo's singing had also
irritated him. Daphne was the beautiful daughter of the river god
Ladon, and she was constantly pursued by Apollo. To escape from
Apollo's insistent behavior, she fled to the mountains, but the
persistent Apollo followed her. Annoyed by this, she asked the river
god Peneus for help, which he did. As soon as Apollo approached
Daphne, he tried to embrace her, but when he stretched out his arms
she transformed into a laurel tree. Apollo, distraught by what had
happened, made the laurel his sacred tree. Apollo also loved Cyrene,
she was another nymph, and she bore Apollo a son: Aristaeus, a
demi-god, who became a protector of cattle and fruit trees, and a
deity of hunting, husbandry and bee-keeping. He taught men dairy
skills and the use of nets and traps in hunting.

The most famous mortal loves of Apollo was Hecuba, she was the wife of
Priam, the king of Troy. She bore him Troilius. Foretold by an oracle,
as long as Troilius reached the age of twenty, Troy could not be
defeated. But the hero Achilles ambushed and killed him, when the
young prince and his sister Polyxena secretly visited a spring. Apollo
also fell in love with Cassandra, the sister of Troilius, and daughter
of Hecuba and Priam. He seduced Cassandra on the promise that he would
teach her the art of prophecy, but having learnt the prophetic art she
rejected him. Apollo, being angry of her rejection punished her, by
declaring her prophecies never to be accepted or believed.

Asclepius, the god of healing, was also Apollo's offspring, after his
union with Coronis, who was daughter of Phlegyas, king of the Lapiths.
While she was pregnant by Apollo, Coronis fell in love with Ischys,
son of Elatus, but a crow informed Apollo of the affair. Apollo sent
his twin sister Artemis to kill Coronis, and Artemis carried out he
brothers wishes. While her body was burning on the funeral pyre,
Apollo removed the unborn child, and took him to Chiron, who raised
the child Asclepius.

Apollo also, as did his father Zeus, fall in love with one of his own
gender, Hyacinthus, a Spartan prince. He was very handsome and
athletic, which inflamed the passions of Apollo. One day while Apollo
and Hyacinthus were practicing throwing the discus, Zephyrus, the god
of the west wind, who was also attracted to the young prince, and
jealous of Apollo's amorous affection towards the boy, made the discus
veer off course by blowing an ill wind. The discus, which Apollo had
thrown, hit Hyacinthus, smashing his skull. Apollo rushed to him, but
he was dead. The god was overcome with grief, but to immortalize the
love he had for the beautiful youth, he had a flower grow were his
blood had stained the earth. Apollo also loved the young boy
Cyparissus, a descendant of Heracles. The impassioned Apollo gave
Cyparissus a sacred deer, as a love token. The young deer became tame,
and was the constant companion of the boy, until a tragic accident
occurred. As the young deer lay sleeping in the shade of the
undergrowth, Cyparissus threw his javelin, which by chance hit, and
killed the deer. Grief-stricken by what had happened, Cyparissus
wanted to die. He asked Apollo to let his tears fall for all eternity.
With apprehension Apollo transformed the boy into a tree, the cypress,
which became the symbol of sorrow, as the sap on its trunk forms
droplets, like tears.

Apollo could also be ruthless when he was angered. The mortal Niobe,
boasted to Apollo's mother Leto, that she had fourteen children (in
some versions six or seven), which must make her more superior than
Leto, who had only bore two. Apollo greatly angered by this slew her
sons, and Artemis killed Niobe's daughters. Niobe wept so much that
she turned into a pillar of stone. Apollo was infuriated when the
satyr Marsyas challenged Apollo to music contest. After winning the
competition, Apollo had Marsyas flayed alive, for being so
presumptuous, as to challenge a god.

Apollo was worshiped throughout the Greek world, and at Delphi every
four years they held the Pythian Games in his honor. He had many
epithets, including "Pythian Apollo" (his name at Delphi), "Apollo
Apotropaeus" (Apollo who averts evil), and "Apollo Nymphegetes"
(Apollo who looks after the Nymphs). As the god of shepherds he also
had the cult titles "Lukeios" (from lykos; wolf), protecting the
flocks from wolfs, and "Nomius" (of pastures, belonging to shepherds).
Being the god of colonists, Apollo influenced his priests at Delphi to
give divine guidance, as to where the expedition should proceed. This
was during the height of the colonizing era circa 750-550 BCE.
Apollo's title was "Archigetes" (leader of colonists). According to
one legend, it was Apollo who helped either Cretan or Arcadian
colonists found the city of Troy.

Valete bene!

Cato

Caeso Fabius Buteo Modianus Catoni salutem dicit

I copied and pasted some of what you posted below into Google and came up
with a listing of Apollo on Encyclopedia Mythica:
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/apollo.html

Also included there is: � MCMXCV - MMVI Encyclopedia Mythica�. All rights
reserved.

Copying text without citing the reference is NOT a good thing. If you want
to post these why not simply post the link? Or if you must include the text
at LEAST cite where you got it. Or do you want people to think that you
wrote all of this?

Vale;

Modianus

On Tue, Feb 9, 2010 at 7:29 PM, Cato <catoinnyc@...> wrote:

>
>
> Cato omnibus in foro SPD
>
> "I will remember and not be unmindful of Apollo who shoots afar. As he
> goes through the house of Zeus, the gods tremble before him and all
> spring up from their seats when he draws near, as he bends his bright
> bow. But Leto alone stays by the side of Zeus who delights in thunder;
> and then she unstrings his bow, and closes his quiver, and takes his
> archery from his strong shoulders in her hands and hangs them on a
> golden peg against a pillar of his father's house. Then she leads him
> to a seat and makes him sit: and the Father gives him nectar in a
> golden cup welcoming his dear son, while the other gods make him sit
> down there, and queenly Leto rejoices because she bare a mighty son
> and an archer. Rejoice, blessed Leto, for you bare glorious children,
> the lord Apollo and Artemis who delights in arrows; her in Ortygia,
> and him in rocky Delos, as you rested against the great mass of the
> Cynthian hill hard by a palm-tree by the streams of Inopus." - Homer,
> Hymn to the Delian Apollo
>
> In ancient Greece, today was dedicated to Apollo. The son of Zeus and
> Leto and the twin brother of Artemis. Apollo was the god of music
> (principally the lyre, and he directed the choir of the Muses) and
> also of prophecy, colonization, medicine, archery (but not for war or
> hunting), poetry, dance, intellectual inquiry and the carer of herds
> and flocks. He was also a god of light, known as "Phoebus" (radiant or
> beaming, and he was sometimes identified with Helios the sun god). He
> was also the god of plague and was worshiped as Smintheus (from
> sminthos, rat) and as Parnopius (from parnops, grasshopper) and was
> known as the destroyer of rats and locusts, and according to Homer's
> Iliad, Apollo shot arrows of plague into the Greek camp. Apollo being
> the god of religious healing would give those guilty of murder and
> other immoral deeds a ritual purification. Sacred to Apollo are the
> swan (one legend says that Apollo flew on the back of a swan to the
> land of the Hyperboreans and he would spend the winter months among
> them), the wolf and the dolphin. His attributes are the bow and
> arrows, on his head a laurel crown, and the cithara (or lyre) and
> plectrum. But his most famous attribute is the tripod, the symbol of
> his prophetic powers.
>
> When the goddesss Hera, the wife of Zeus (it was he who had coupled
> with Leto) found out about Leto's pregnancy, she was outraged with
> jealousy. Seeking revenge Hera forced Leto to roam the earth in search
> of a place to give birth. Since Hera had forbidden Leto to stay
> anywhere on earth, either on terra firma or an island at sea, the only
> place to seek shelter was Delos, being in the center of the Aegean,
> and also difficult to reach, as there were strong under-currents,
> because it was said to be a floating island. Because it was a floating
> island, it was not considered either of Hera's prohibitions, and so
> Leto was able to give birth to the divine twins Apollo and Artemis
> (before Leto gave birth to Apollo, the island was encircled by a flock
> of swans, this is why the swan was sacred to him). As a gesture of
> thanks Delos was secured to the sea-bed by four columns to give it
> stability, and from then on it became one of the most important
> sanctuaries to Apollo.
>
> "I sprang upon the ship in the form of a dolphin, pray to me as Apollo
> Delphinius; also the altar itself shall be called Delphinius ..." -
> Homer, Hymn to the Pythian Apollo 493
>
> Apollo's first achievement was to rid Pytho (Delphi) of the serpent
> (or dragon) Python. This monstrous beast protected the sanctuary of
> Pytho from its lair beside the Castalian Spring. There it stood guard
> while the "Sibyl" gave out her prophecies as she inhaled the trance
> inducing vapors from an open chasm. Apollo killed Python with his bow
> and arrows (Homer wrote "he killed the fearsome dragon Python,
> piercing it with his darts"). Apollo not only took charge of the
> oracle but rid the neighboring countryside of widespread destruction,
> as Python had destroyed crops, sacked villages and polluted streams
> and springs. However, to make amends for killing Python, as the
> fearsome beast was the son of Gaia, Apollo had to serve king Admetus
> for nine years (in some versions eight) as a cowherd. This he did, and
> when he returned to Pytho he came in the guise of a dolphin bringing
> with him priests from Crete (Apollo's cult title "Delphinios" meaning
> dolphin or porpoise, is probably how Delphi was so named). After
> killing Python and taking possession of the oracle, the god of light
> (Phobus) became known as "Pythian Apollo". He dedicated a bronze
> tripod to the sanctuary and bestowed divine powers on one of the
> priestesses, and she became known as the "Pythia". It was she who
> inhaled the hallucinating vapors from the fissure in the temple floor,
> while she sat on a tripod chewing laurel leaves. After she mumbled her
> answer, a male priest would translate it for the supplicant. Delphi
> became the most important oracle center of Apollo, there were several
> including Clarus and Branchidae.
>
> Apollo, as with Zeus his father, had many love affairs with goddesses
> and mortals. Apollo's infatuation for the nymph Daphne, which had been
> invoked by the young god of love Eros, because Apollo had mocked him,
> saying his archery skills were pathetic, and Apollo's singing had also
> irritated him. Daphne was the beautiful daughter of the river god
> Ladon, and she was constantly pursued by Apollo. To escape from
> Apollo's insistent behavior, she fled to the mountains, but the
> persistent Apollo followed her. Annoyed by this, she asked the river
> god Peneus for help, which he did. As soon as Apollo approached
> Daphne, he tried to embrace her, but when he stretched out his arms
> she transformed into a laurel tree. Apollo, distraught by what had
> happened, made the laurel his sacred tree. Apollo also loved Cyrene,
> she was another nymph, and she bore Apollo a son: Aristaeus, a
> demi-god, who became a protector of cattle and fruit trees, and a
> deity of hunting, husbandry and bee-keeping. He taught men dairy
> skills and the use of nets and traps in hunting.
>
> The most famous mortal loves of Apollo was Hecuba, she was the wife of
> Priam, the king of Troy. She bore him Troilius. Foretold by an oracle,
> as long as Troilius reached the age of twenty, Troy could not be
> defeated. But the hero Achilles ambushed and killed him, when the
> young prince and his sister Polyxena secretly visited a spring. Apollo
> also fell in love with Cassandra, the sister of Troilius, and daughter
> of Hecuba and Priam. He seduced Cassandra on the promise that he would
> teach her the art of prophecy, but having learnt the prophetic art she
> rejected him. Apollo, being angry of her rejection punished her, by
> declaring her prophecies never to be accepted or believed.
>
> Asclepius, the god of healing, was also Apollo's offspring, after his
> union with Coronis, who was daughter of Phlegyas, king of the Lapiths.
> While she was pregnant by Apollo, Coronis fell in love with Ischys,
> son of Elatus, but a crow informed Apollo of the affair. Apollo sent
> his twin sister Artemis to kill Coronis, and Artemis carried out he
> brothers wishes. While her body was burning on the funeral pyre,
> Apollo removed the unborn child, and took him to Chiron, who raised
> the child Asclepius.
>
> Apollo also, as did his father Zeus, fall in love with one of his own
> gender, Hyacinthus, a Spartan prince. He was very handsome and
> athletic, which inflamed the passions of Apollo. One day while Apollo
> and Hyacinthus were practicing throwing the discus, Zephyrus, the god
> of the west wind, who was also attracted to the young prince, and
> jealous of Apollo's amorous affection towards the boy, made the discus
> veer off course by blowing an ill wind. The discus, which Apollo had
> thrown, hit Hyacinthus, smashing his skull. Apollo rushed to him, but
> he was dead. The god was overcome with grief, but to immortalize the
> love he had for the beautiful youth, he had a flower grow were his
> blood had stained the earth. Apollo also loved the young boy
> Cyparissus, a descendant of Heracles. The impassioned Apollo gave
> Cyparissus a sacred deer, as a love token. The young deer became tame,
> and was the constant companion of the boy, until a tragic accident
> occurred. As the young deer lay sleeping in the shade of the
> undergrowth, Cyparissus threw his javelin, which by chance hit, and
> killed the deer. Grief-stricken by what had happened, Cyparissus
> wanted to die. He asked Apollo to let his tears fall for all eternity.
> With apprehension Apollo transformed the boy into a tree, the cypress,
> which became the symbol of sorrow, as the sap on its trunk forms
> droplets, like tears.
>
> Apollo could also be ruthless when he was angered. The mortal Niobe,
> boasted to Apollo's mother Leto, that she had fourteen children (in
> some versions six or seven), which must make her more superior than
> Leto, who had only bore two. Apollo greatly angered by this slew her
> sons, and Artemis killed Niobe's daughters. Niobe wept so much that
> she turned into a pillar of stone. Apollo was infuriated when the
> satyr Marsyas challenged Apollo to music contest. After winning the
> competition, Apollo had Marsyas flayed alive, for being so
> presumptuous, as to challenge a god.
>
> Apollo was worshiped throughout the Greek world, and at Delphi every
> four years they held the Pythian Games in his honor. He had many
> epithets, including "Pythian Apollo" (his name at Delphi), "Apollo
> Apotropaeus" (Apollo who averts evil), and "Apollo Nymphegetes"
> (Apollo who looks after the Nymphs). As the god of shepherds he also
> had the cult titles "Lukeios" (from lykos; wolf), protecting the
> flocks from wolfs, and "Nomius" (of pastures, belonging to shepherds).
> Being the god of colonists, Apollo influenced his priests at Delphi to
> give divine guidance, as to where the expedition should proceed. This
> was during the height of the colonizing era circa 750-550 BCE.
> Apollo's title was "Archigetes" (leader of colonists). According to
> one legend, it was Apollo who helped either Cretan or Arcadian
> colonists found the city of Troy.
>
> Valete bene!
>
> Cato
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Cato Modiano sal.

hmmmm ... in the original (which I copied and pasted from this date in 2006) the links existed. I don't know why they didn't show up here when I pasted it. But here they are:


"SOURCES

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Apollo
(http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/apollomyth/) and
(http://forum.kusadasi.biz/thread32.html) "

Vale!

Cato

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, David Kling <tau.athanasios@...> wrote:
>
> Caeso Fabius Buteo Modianus Catoni salutem dicit
>
> I copied and pasted some of what you posted below into Google and came up
> with a listing of Apollo on Encyclopedia Mythica:
> http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/apollo.html
>
> Also included there is: © MCMXCV - MMVI Encyclopedia Mythica™. All rights
> reserved.
>
> Copying text without citing the reference is NOT a good thing. If you want
> to post these why not simply post the link? Or if you must include the text
> at LEAST cite where you got it. Or do you want people to think that you
> wrote all of this?
>
> Vale;
>
> Modianus
>
>
> On Tue, Feb 9, 2010 at 7:29 PM, Cato <catoinnyc@...> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Cato omnibus in foro SPD
> >
> > "I will remember and not be unmindful of Apollo who shoots afar. As he
> > goes through the house of Zeus, the gods tremble before him and all
> > spring up from their seats when he draws near, as he bends his bright
> > bow. But Leto alone stays by the side of Zeus who delights in thunder;
> > and then she unstrings his bow, and closes his quiver, and takes his
> > archery from his strong shoulders in her hands and hangs them on a
> > golden peg against a pillar of his father's house. Then she leads him
> > to a seat and makes him sit: and the Father gives him nectar in a
> > golden cup welcoming his dear son, while the other gods make him sit
> > down there, and queenly Leto rejoices because she bare a mighty son
> > and an archer. Rejoice, blessed Leto, for you bare glorious children,
> > the lord Apollo and Artemis who delights in arrows; her in Ortygia,
> > and him in rocky Delos, as you rested against the great mass of the
> > Cynthian hill hard by a palm-tree by the streams of Inopus." - Homer,
> > Hymn to the Delian Apollo
> >
> > In ancient Greece, today was dedicated to Apollo. The son of Zeus and
> > Leto and the twin brother of Artemis. Apollo was the god of music
> > (principally the lyre, and he directed the choir of the Muses) and
> > also of prophecy, colonization, medicine, archery (but not for war or
> > hunting), poetry, dance, intellectual inquiry and the carer of herds
> > and flocks. He was also a god of light, known as "Phoebus" (radiant or
> > beaming, and he was sometimes identified with Helios the sun god). He
> > was also the god of plague and was worshiped as Smintheus (from
> > sminthos, rat) and as Parnopius (from parnops, grasshopper) and was
> > known as the destroyer of rats and locusts, and according to Homer's
> > Iliad, Apollo shot arrows of plague into the Greek camp. Apollo being
> > the god of religious healing would give those guilty of murder and
> > other immoral deeds a ritual purification. Sacred to Apollo are the
> > swan (one legend says that Apollo flew on the back of a swan to the
> > land of the Hyperboreans and he would spend the winter months among
> > them), the wolf and the dolphin. His attributes are the bow and
> > arrows, on his head a laurel crown, and the cithara (or lyre) and
> > plectrum. But his most famous attribute is the tripod, the symbol of
> > his prophetic powers.
> >
> > When the goddesss Hera, the wife of Zeus (it was he who had coupled
> > with Leto) found out about Leto's pregnancy, she was outraged with
> > jealousy. Seeking revenge Hera forced Leto to roam the earth in search
> > of a place to give birth. Since Hera had forbidden Leto to stay
> > anywhere on earth, either on terra firma or an island at sea, the only
> > place to seek shelter was Delos, being in the center of the Aegean,
> > and also difficult to reach, as there were strong under-currents,
> > because it was said to be a floating island. Because it was a floating
> > island, it was not considered either of Hera's prohibitions, and so
> > Leto was able to give birth to the divine twins Apollo and Artemis
> > (before Leto gave birth to Apollo, the island was encircled by a flock
> > of swans, this is why the swan was sacred to him). As a gesture of
> > thanks Delos was secured to the sea-bed by four columns to give it
> > stability, and from then on it became one of the most important
> > sanctuaries to Apollo.
> >
> > "I sprang upon the ship in the form of a dolphin, pray to me as Apollo
> > Delphinius; also the altar itself shall be called Delphinius ..." -
> > Homer, Hymn to the Pythian Apollo 493
> >
> > Apollo's first achievement was to rid Pytho (Delphi) of the serpent
> > (or dragon) Python. This monstrous beast protected the sanctuary of
> > Pytho from its lair beside the Castalian Spring. There it stood guard
> > while the "Sibyl" gave out her prophecies as she inhaled the trance
> > inducing vapors from an open chasm. Apollo killed Python with his bow
> > and arrows (Homer wrote "he killed the fearsome dragon Python,
> > piercing it with his darts"). Apollo not only took charge of the
> > oracle but rid the neighboring countryside of widespread destruction,
> > as Python had destroyed crops, sacked villages and polluted streams
> > and springs. However, to make amends for killing Python, as the
> > fearsome beast was the son of Gaia, Apollo had to serve king Admetus
> > for nine years (in some versions eight) as a cowherd. This he did, and
> > when he returned to Pytho he came in the guise of a dolphin bringing
> > with him priests from Crete (Apollo's cult title "Delphinios" meaning
> > dolphin or porpoise, is probably how Delphi was so named). After
> > killing Python and taking possession of the oracle, the god of light
> > (Phobus) became known as "Pythian Apollo". He dedicated a bronze
> > tripod to the sanctuary and bestowed divine powers on one of the
> > priestesses, and she became known as the "Pythia". It was she who
> > inhaled the hallucinating vapors from the fissure in the temple floor,
> > while she sat on a tripod chewing laurel leaves. After she mumbled her
> > answer, a male priest would translate it for the supplicant. Delphi
> > became the most important oracle center of Apollo, there were several
> > including Clarus and Branchidae.
> >
> > Apollo, as with Zeus his father, had many love affairs with goddesses
> > and mortals. Apollo's infatuation for the nymph Daphne, which had been
> > invoked by the young god of love Eros, because Apollo had mocked him,
> > saying his archery skills were pathetic, and Apollo's singing had also
> > irritated him. Daphne was the beautiful daughter of the river god
> > Ladon, and she was constantly pursued by Apollo. To escape from
> > Apollo's insistent behavior, she fled to the mountains, but the
> > persistent Apollo followed her. Annoyed by this, she asked the river
> > god Peneus for help, which he did. As soon as Apollo approached
> > Daphne, he tried to embrace her, but when he stretched out his arms
> > she transformed into a laurel tree. Apollo, distraught by what had
> > happened, made the laurel his sacred tree. Apollo also loved Cyrene,
> > she was another nymph, and she bore Apollo a son: Aristaeus, a
> > demi-god, who became a protector of cattle and fruit trees, and a
> > deity of hunting, husbandry and bee-keeping. He taught men dairy
> > skills and the use of nets and traps in hunting.
> >
> > The most famous mortal loves of Apollo was Hecuba, she was the wife of
> > Priam, the king of Troy. She bore him Troilius. Foretold by an oracle,
> > as long as Troilius reached the age of twenty, Troy could not be
> > defeated. But the hero Achilles ambushed and killed him, when the
> > young prince and his sister Polyxena secretly visited a spring. Apollo
> > also fell in love with Cassandra, the sister of Troilius, and daughter
> > of Hecuba and Priam. He seduced Cassandra on the promise that he would
> > teach her the art of prophecy, but having learnt the prophetic art she
> > rejected him. Apollo, being angry of her rejection punished her, by
> > declaring her prophecies never to be accepted or believed.
> >
> > Asclepius, the god of healing, was also Apollo's offspring, after his
> > union with Coronis, who was daughter of Phlegyas, king of the Lapiths.
> > While she was pregnant by Apollo, Coronis fell in love with Ischys,
> > son of Elatus, but a crow informed Apollo of the affair. Apollo sent
> > his twin sister Artemis to kill Coronis, and Artemis carried out he
> > brothers wishes. While her body was burning on the funeral pyre,
> > Apollo removed the unborn child, and took him to Chiron, who raised
> > the child Asclepius.
> >
> > Apollo also, as did his father Zeus, fall in love with one of his own
> > gender, Hyacinthus, a Spartan prince. He was very handsome and
> > athletic, which inflamed the passions of Apollo. One day while Apollo
> > and Hyacinthus were practicing throwing the discus, Zephyrus, the god
> > of the west wind, who was also attracted to the young prince, and
> > jealous of Apollo's amorous affection towards the boy, made the discus
> > veer off course by blowing an ill wind. The discus, which Apollo had
> > thrown, hit Hyacinthus, smashing his skull. Apollo rushed to him, but
> > he was dead. The god was overcome with grief, but to immortalize the
> > love he had for the beautiful youth, he had a flower grow were his
> > blood had stained the earth. Apollo also loved the young boy
> > Cyparissus, a descendant of Heracles. The impassioned Apollo gave
> > Cyparissus a sacred deer, as a love token. The young deer became tame,
> > and was the constant companion of the boy, until a tragic accident
> > occurred. As the young deer lay sleeping in the shade of the
> > undergrowth, Cyparissus threw his javelin, which by chance hit, and
> > killed the deer. Grief-stricken by what had happened, Cyparissus
> > wanted to die. He asked Apollo to let his tears fall for all eternity.
> > With apprehension Apollo transformed the boy into a tree, the cypress,
> > which became the symbol of sorrow, as the sap on its trunk forms
> > droplets, like tears.
> >
> > Apollo could also be ruthless when he was angered. The mortal Niobe,
> > boasted to Apollo's mother Leto, that she had fourteen children (in
> > some versions six or seven), which must make her more superior than
> > Leto, who had only bore two. Apollo greatly angered by this slew her
> > sons, and Artemis killed Niobe's daughters. Niobe wept so much that
> > she turned into a pillar of stone. Apollo was infuriated when the
> > satyr Marsyas challenged Apollo to music contest. After winning the
> > competition, Apollo had Marsyas flayed alive, for being so
> > presumptuous, as to challenge a god.
> >
> > Apollo was worshiped throughout the Greek world, and at Delphi every
> > four years they held the Pythian Games in his honor. He had many
> > epithets, including "Pythian Apollo" (his name at Delphi), "Apollo
> > Apotropaeus" (Apollo who averts evil), and "Apollo Nymphegetes"
> > (Apollo who looks after the Nymphs). As the god of shepherds he also
> > had the cult titles "Lukeios" (from lykos; wolf), protecting the
> > flocks from wolfs, and "Nomius" (of pastures, belonging to shepherds).
> > Being the god of colonists, Apollo influenced his priests at Delphi to
> > give divine guidance, as to where the expedition should proceed. This
> > was during the height of the colonizing era circa 750-550 BCE.
> > Apollo's title was "Archigetes" (leader of colonists). According to
> > one legend, it was Apollo who helped either Cretan or Arcadian
> > colonists found the city of Troy.
> >
> > Valete bene!
> >
> > Cato
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

M. Hortensia praetrix G. Equitio Catoni;
when you post materials from another site or work you must conform to U.S Copyright Law. If the poster is in Europe or South America the relevant conventions apply. Translations are also copyrighted. You are responsible for what you post.

Copyright violation is a serious matter, I have provided legal links, if you need one for your country write to me and I will provide one. Everyone needs to familiarize her or himself with their relevant copyright laws.

Here is an informative link;
U.S http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/

EU http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32001L0029:EN:HTML

Brasil http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2009/12/23/copyright-law-reform-in-brazil-anteprojeto-or-anti-project/
Tibi gratias ago Modiane,
M. Hortensia Maior
Praetrix

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "Cato" <catoinnyc@...> wrote:
>
> Cato Modiano sal.
>
> hmmmm ... in the original (which I copied and pasted from this date in 2006) the links existed. I don't know why they didn't show up here when I pasted it. But here they are:
>
>
> "SOURCES
>
> Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Apollo
> (http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/apollomyth/) and
> (http://forum.kusadasi.biz/thread32.html) "
>
> Vale!
>
> Cato
>
> --- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, David Kling <tau.athanasios@> wrote:
> >
> > Caeso Fabius Buteo Modianus Catoni salutem dicit
> >
> > I copied and pasted some of what you posted below into Google and came up
> > with a listing of Apollo on Encyclopedia Mythica:
> > http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/apollo.html
> >
> > Also included there is: © MCMXCV - MMVI Encyclopedia Mythica™. All rights
> > reserved.
> >
> > Copying text without citing the reference is NOT a good thing. If you want
> > to post these why not simply post the link? Or if you must include the text
> > at LEAST cite where you got it. Or do you want people to think that you
> > wrote all of this?
> >
> > Vale;
> >
> > Modianus
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Feb 9, 2010 at 7:29 PM, Cato <catoinnyc@> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > Cato omnibus in foro SPD
> > >
> > > "I will remember and not be unmindful of Apollo who shoots afar. As he
> > > goes through the house of Zeus, the gods tremble before him and all
> > > spring up from their seats when he draws near, as he bends his bright
> > > bow. But Leto alone stays by the side of Zeus who delights in thunder;
> > > and then she unstrings his bow, and closes his quiver, and takes his
> > > archery from his strong shoulders in her hands and hangs them on a
> > > golden peg against a pillar of his father's house. Then she leads him
> > > to a seat and makes him sit: and the Father gives him nectar in a
> > > golden cup welcoming his dear son, while the other gods make him sit
> > > down there, and queenly Leto rejoices because she bare a mighty son
> > > and an archer. Rejoice, blessed Leto, for you bare glorious children,
> > > the lord Apollo and Artemis who delights in arrows; her in Ortygia,
> > > and him in rocky Delos, as you rested against the great mass of the
> > > Cynthian hill hard by a palm-tree by the streams of Inopus." - Homer,
> > > Hymn to the Delian Apollo
> > >
> > > In ancient Greece, today was dedicated to Apollo. The son of Zeus and
> > > Leto and the twin brother of Artemis. Apollo was the god of music
> > > (principally the lyre, and he directed the choir of the Muses) and
> > > also of prophecy, colonization, medicine, archery (but not for war or
> > > hunting), poetry, dance, intellectual inquiry and the carer of herds
> > > and flocks. He was also a god of light, known as "Phoebus" (radiant or
> > > beaming, and he was sometimes identified with Helios the sun god). He
> > > was also the god of plague and was worshiped as Smintheus (from
> > > sminthos, rat) and as Parnopius (from parnops, grasshopper) and was
> > > known as the destroyer of rats and locusts, and according to Homer's
> > > Iliad, Apollo shot arrows of plague into the Greek camp. Apollo being
> > > the god of religious healing would give those guilty of murder and
> > > other immoral deeds a ritual purification. Sacred to Apollo are the
> > > swan (one legend says that Apollo flew on the back of a swan to the
> > > land of the Hyperboreans and he would spend the winter months among
> > > them), the wolf and the dolphin. His attributes are the bow and
> > > arrows, on his head a laurel crown, and the cithara (or lyre) and
> > > plectrum. But his most famous attribute is the tripod, the symbol of
> > > his prophetic powers.
> > >
> > > When the goddesss Hera, the wife of Zeus (it was he who had coupled
> > > with Leto) found out about Leto's pregnancy, she was outraged with
> > > jealousy. Seeking revenge Hera forced Leto to roam the earth in search
> > > of a place to give birth. Since Hera had forbidden Leto to stay
> > > anywhere on earth, either on terra firma or an island at sea, the only
> > > place to seek shelter was Delos, being in the center of the Aegean,
> > > and also difficult to reach, as there were strong under-currents,
> > > because it was said to be a floating island. Because it was a floating
> > > island, it was not considered either of Hera's prohibitions, and so
> > > Leto was able to give birth to the divine twins Apollo and Artemis
> > > (before Leto gave birth to Apollo, the island was encircled by a flock
> > > of swans, this is why the swan was sacred to him). As a gesture of
> > > thanks Delos was secured to the sea-bed by four columns to give it
> > > stability, and from then on it became one of the most important
> > > sanctuaries to Apollo.
> > >
> > > "I sprang upon the ship in the form of a dolphin, pray to me as Apollo
> > > Delphinius; also the altar itself shall be called Delphinius ..." -
> > > Homer, Hymn to the Pythian Apollo 493
> > >
> > > Apollo's first achievement was to rid Pytho (Delphi) of the serpent
> > > (or dragon) Python. This monstrous beast protected the sanctuary of
> > > Pytho from its lair beside the Castalian Spring. There it stood guard
> > > while the "Sibyl" gave out her prophecies as she inhaled the trance
> > > inducing vapors from an open chasm. Apollo killed Python with his bow
> > > and arrows (Homer wrote "he killed the fearsome dragon Python,
> > > piercing it with his darts"). Apollo not only took charge of the
> > > oracle but rid the neighboring countryside of widespread destruction,
> > > as Python had destroyed crops, sacked villages and polluted streams
> > > and springs. However, to make amends for killing Python, as the
> > > fearsome beast was the son of Gaia, Apollo had to serve king Admetus
> > > for nine years (in some versions eight) as a cowherd. This he did, and
> > > when he returned to Pytho he came in the guise of a dolphin bringing
> > > with him priests from Crete (Apollo's cult title "Delphinios" meaning
> > > dolphin or porpoise, is probably how Delphi was so named). After
> > > killing Python and taking possession of the oracle, the god of light
> > > (Phobus) became known as "Pythian Apollo". He dedicated a bronze
> > > tripod to the sanctuary and bestowed divine powers on one of the
> > > priestesses, and she became known as the "Pythia". It was she who
> > > inhaled the hallucinating vapors from the fissure in the temple floor,
> > > while she sat on a tripod chewing laurel leaves. After she mumbled her
> > > answer, a male priest would translate it for the supplicant. Delphi
> > > became the most important oracle center of Apollo, there were several
> > > including Clarus and Branchidae.
> > >
> > > Apollo, as with Zeus his father, had many love affairs with goddesses
> > > and mortals. Apollo's infatuation for the nymph Daphne, which had been
> > > invoked by the young god of love Eros, because Apollo had mocked him,
> > > saying his archery skills were pathetic, and Apollo's singing had also
> > > irritated him. Daphne was the beautiful daughter of the river god
> > > Ladon, and she was constantly pursued by Apollo. To escape from
> > > Apollo's insistent behavior, she fled to the mountains, but the
> > > persistent Apollo followed her. Annoyed by this, she asked the river
> > > god Peneus for help, which he did. As soon as Apollo approached
> > > Daphne, he tried to embrace her, but when he stretched out his arms
> > > she transformed into a laurel tree. Apollo, distraught by what had
> > > happened, made the laurel his sacred tree. Apollo also loved Cyrene,
> > > she was another nymph, and she bore Apollo a son: Aristaeus, a
> > > demi-god, who became a protector of cattle and fruit trees, and a
> > > deity of hunting, husbandry and bee-keeping. He taught men dairy
> > > skills and the use of nets and traps in hunting.
> > >
> > > The most famous mortal loves of Apollo was Hecuba, she was the wife of
> > > Priam, the king of Troy. She bore him Troilius. Foretold by an oracle,
> > > as long as Troilius reached the age of twenty, Troy could not be
> > > defeated. But the hero Achilles ambushed and killed him, when the
> > > young prince and his sister Polyxena secretly visited a spring. Apollo
> > > also fell in love with Cassandra, the sister of Troilius, and daughter
> > > of Hecuba and Priam. He seduced Cassandra on the promise that he would
> > > teach her the art of prophecy, but having learnt the prophetic art she
> > > rejected him. Apollo, being angry of her rejection punished her, by
> > > declaring her prophecies never to be accepted or believed.
> > >
> > > Asclepius, the god of healing, was also Apollo's offspring, after his
> > > union with Coronis, who was daughter of Phlegyas, king of the Lapiths.
> > > While she was pregnant by Apollo, Coronis fell in love with Ischys,
> > > son of Elatus, but a crow informed Apollo of the affair. Apollo sent
> > > his twin sister Artemis to kill Coronis, and Artemis carried out he
> > > brothers wishes. While her body was burning on the funeral pyre,
> > > Apollo removed the unborn child, and took him to Chiron, who raised
> > > the child Asclepius.
> > >
> > > Apollo also, as did his father Zeus, fall in love with one of his own
> > > gender, Hyacinthus, a Spartan prince. He was very handsome and
> > > athletic, which inflamed the passions of Apollo. One day while Apollo
> > > and Hyacinthus were practicing throwing the discus, Zephyrus, the god
> > > of the west wind, who was also attracted to the young prince, and
> > > jealous of Apollo's amorous affection towards the boy, made the discus
> > > veer off course by blowing an ill wind. The discus, which Apollo had
> > > thrown, hit Hyacinthus, smashing his skull. Apollo rushed to him, but
> > > he was dead. The god was overcome with grief, but to immortalize the
> > > love he had for the beautiful youth, he had a flower grow were his
> > > blood had stained the earth. Apollo also loved the young boy
> > > Cyparissus, a descendant of Heracles. The impassioned Apollo gave
> > > Cyparissus a sacred deer, as a love token. The young deer became tame,
> > > and was the constant companion of the boy, until a tragic accident
> > > occurred. As the young deer lay sleeping in the shade of the
> > > undergrowth, Cyparissus threw his javelin, which by chance hit, and
> > > killed the deer. Grief-stricken by what had happened, Cyparissus
> > > wanted to die. He asked Apollo to let his tears fall for all eternity.
> > > With apprehension Apollo transformed the boy into a tree, the cypress,
> > > which became the symbol of sorrow, as the sap on its trunk forms
> > > droplets, like tears.
> > >
> > > Apollo could also be ruthless when he was angered. The mortal Niobe,
> > > boasted to Apollo's mother Leto, that she had fourteen children (in
> > > some versions six or seven), which must make her more superior than
> > > Leto, who had only bore two. Apollo greatly angered by this slew her
> > > sons, and Artemis killed Niobe's daughters. Niobe wept so much that
> > > she turned into a pillar of stone. Apollo was infuriated when the
> > > satyr Marsyas challenged Apollo to music contest. After winning the
> > > competition, Apollo had Marsyas flayed alive, for being so
> > > presumptuous, as to challenge a god.
> > >
> > > Apollo was worshiped throughout the Greek world, and at Delphi every
> > > four years they held the Pythian Games in his honor. He had many
> > > epithets, including "Pythian Apollo" (his name at Delphi), "Apollo
> > > Apotropaeus" (Apollo who averts evil), and "Apollo Nymphegetes"
> > > (Apollo who looks after the Nymphs). As the god of shepherds he also
> > > had the cult titles "Lukeios" (from lykos; wolf), protecting the
> > > flocks from wolfs, and "Nomius" (of pastures, belonging to shepherds).
> > > Being the god of colonists, Apollo influenced his priests at Delphi to
> > > give divine guidance, as to where the expedition should proceed. This
> > > was during the height of the colonizing era circa 750-550 BCE.
> > > Apollo's title was "Archigetes" (leader of colonists). According to
> > > one legend, it was Apollo who helped either Cretan or Arcadian
> > > colonists found the city of Troy.
> > >
> > > Valete bene!
> > >
> > > Cato
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>

Cato Maiori sal.

You need to read more carefully, praetor, both the specifics about which you speak and the terms under which Yahoo! operates. You apparently understand neither. But everyone can learn something every day, so be of good cheer!

Vale!

Cato

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "rory12001" <rory12001@...> wrote:
>
> M. Hortensia praetrix G. Equitio Catoni;
> when you post materials from another site or work you must conform to U.S Copyright Law. If the poster is in Europe or South America the relevant conventions apply. Translations are also copyrighted. You are responsible for what you post.
>
> Copyright violation is a serious matter, I have provided legal links, if you need one for your country write to me and I will provide one. Everyone needs to familiarize her or himself with their relevant copyright laws.
>
> Here is an informative link;
> U.S http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/
>
> EU http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32001L0029:EN:HTML
>
> Brasil http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2009/12/23/copyright-law-reform-in-brazil-anteprojeto-or-anti-project/
> Tibi gratias ago Modiane,
> M. Hortensia Maior
> Praetrix

fyi

"The Mother of All Forums: Civic Architecture in Rome under Trajan." di Prof.ssa Diane Kleiner, di YALE UNIVERSITY, USA. (stampa)14.11.2009.

http://www.cosmolearning.com/video-lectures/the-mother-of-all-forums-civic-architecture-in-rome-under-trajan-6782/

M. Moravius Piscinus cultoribus Deorum, Quiritibus et omnibus salutem plurimam dicit: Diis bene iuvantibus sumus.

Hodie est ante diem IV Eidus Februariae; haec dies nefastus est:

AUC 697 / 56 BCE: The Senate responds to the growing political turmoil

"On the 10th of February an indictment was lodged against Sestius for bribery by the informer Cn. Nerius, of the Pupinian tribe, and on the same day by a certain M. Tullius (Albinovanus) for riot. He was ill. I went at once, as I was bound to do, to his house, and put myself wholly at his service: and that was more than people expected, who thought that I had good cause for being angry with him. The result is that my extreme kindness and grateful disposition are made manifest both to Sestius himself and to all the world, and I shall be as good as my word. But this same informer Nerius also named Cn. Lentulus Vatia and C. Cornelius to the commissioners. On the same day a decree passed the senate "that political clubs and associations should be broken up, and that a law in regard to them should be brought in, enacting that those who did not break off from them should be liable to the same penalty as those convicted of riot." ~ M. Tullius Cicero, Epist. Ad Quint. 2.3

P. Sestius was tribune in 57, Cicero was not yet returned from exile. It was Sestia who had drafted the bill for Cicero's return. Also, Sestius was the other individual, next to Milo, who raised and controlled the street gangs that challenged Clodius and his gangs on the streets of Rome. There were actually two indictments against Sestius, bribery (de ambitu) and violence (de vi) for his involvement with street gangs. Vatia and Cornelius were the witnesses against Sestius. Arrayed against him were Clodius' men, P. Vatianus and Gellius Publicola, as well as L. Aemilius Paullus Lepidus. The defense of Sestius was presented by the same men who were responsible for Cicero's return from exile, and in effect the trial was one of that issue. Cicero orated the principle speech that outlined the defense's case, while also defending his own past policies. Popmpeius Magnus delivered the speech praising the character of Sestius in a laudatio. Milo and P. Cornelius Spinther spoke in his defense, as did Q. Hortensius, C. Licinius Calvus, and another triumvir, Marcus Crassus. The charge of bribery seems to have disappeared as all that is known today is testamony given on the other charge. With the support of the triumvirs, some conservative members of the senate, and at least tacit approval of Cato's factio, Sestius easily won, and Clodius was humbled a second third time.


RITUAL PURITY: No open sores

"Why was it forbidden to priests that had any sore upon their bodies to sit and watch for birds of omen? Is this also a symbolic indication that those who deal with matters divine should be in no way suffering from any smart, and should not, as it were, have any sore or affection in their souls, but should be untroubled, unscathed, and undistracted? Or is it only logical, if no one would use for sacrifice a victim afflicted with a sore, or use such birds for augury, that they should still be more on their guard against such things in their own case, and be pure, unhurt, and sound when they advance to interpret signs from the Gods? For a sore seems to be a sort of mutilation or pollution of the body." ~ Plutarch, Roman Questions 73

Blood was believed to hold special powers. The animating soul was thought to travel throughout the body in the blood, and thus blood was teeming with life. For this reason blood drawn from any part of the body, but most especially from the large toe (of the right foot), was given as a cure to epileptics. Preferred was the blood drawn from the wounds of a gladiator as his virile blood was thought more potent than most. For a somewhat different reason, a virgin touching the face of an epileptic with her right thumb was thought to be curative because of the added power of her blood by virtue of her being a virgin (Pliny, N. H. 28.2; 28.10). The Vestal Virgins were further credited with a power to halt the flight of runaway slaves merely through prayer, but this power, too, stemmed from the life force held within their untainted blood (Pliny, N. H. 28.3). The power in blood was also thought to affect other things such as in the belief that blood could avert and repel rain clouds (Seneca, Nat. Quaest. 4.b.7.2). For much the same reasons, the "unnatural"appearance of blood could be a dire prodigy and thought to pollute under certain circumstances. There were a number of taboos concerning blood, and thus also methods of stemming bleeding, some practical and others magical.

"It is quite surprising how much more speedily wounds will heal if they are bound up and tied with Hercules' knot, indeed, it is said, that if the girdle which we wear every day is tied with a knot of this description, it will be productive of certain beneficial effects, Hercules having been the first to discover the fact (Pliny, N. H. 28.17)."

This knot of Hercules was a tightly tied triple knot with no ends showing. Many such charms were worn on the person of Romans – images of Gods and Goddesses, of Lares augustalis and Lasae, pine cones, flowers, and geometric devices, as well as talismans and amulet of stones and herbs that were thought to have curative powers.

As seen with Plutarch above, an open sore, oozing blood, meant that a sacerdos, or anyone for that matter, was losing the vital force of his animating soul, and thus also losing the special bond that exists between a person with his ancestors, who mediate between himself and the celestial Gods. Even unusually large bruises, the blood pooling under the skin as with a corpse, would be taken as a sign that something was amiss between the person and his or her Lares. Therefore, a young girl who had any bruises on her body when she was brought to the pontifex maximus would be rejected from becoming a Vestal Virgin. Plutarch, above, is specifically referring to augures where the Manes are always called upon when taking auspicia. But the same applies to all sacerdotes because taking auspicia is a normal part of any sacrum one would perform, and because one must be in a state of ritual purity to offer sacrifice, and not instead pollute the sacrifice with one's own blood, or inadvertently vow oneself as a victim by shedding blood onto the altar. Open sores and unusual bruises must be healed before rites to celestial deities can be performed, but for the very same reasons rites for Di inferni can be performed as these often have to do with healing and purification.


AUC 563 / 190 BCE: Pontifex Maximus and Flamines Maiores

"Before the praetors left for their provinces a dispute arose between P. Licinius, the Pontifex Maximus, and the Flamen Quirinalis, Q. Fabius Pictor. There had been a similar dispute many years previously between L. Metellus and Postumius Albinus. Metellus was Pontifex Maximus at the time, and had prevented Albinus, the newly elected consul, from accompanying his colleague to the fleet at Sicily. On the present occasion, P. Licinius had detained the praetor from going to Sardinia and kept him at his sacred duties. The question was hotly debated both in the senate and in the Assembly, orders were made on both sides, sureties accepted, fines imposed, the authority of the tribunes invoked and appeals laid before the Assembly. At last the claims of religion prevailed and the Flamen was ordered to obey the Pontiff's direction; the fine imposed upon him was remitted by order of the people. The praetor was very angry at losing his province and wanted to resign his office, but the senate exerted their authority to prevent this and decreed that he should exercise the jurisdiction over aliens." ~ Titus Livius 37.51


Our thought for to day is from Epictetus, Enchiridion 14

"If you wish your children and your wife and your friends to live forever, you are foolish; for you wish things to be in your power which are not so; and what belongs to others to be your own. So likewise, if you wish your servant to be without fault, you are foolish; for you wish vice not to be vice, but something else. But if you wish not to be disappointed in your desires, that is in your own power. Exercise, therefore, what is in your power. A man's master is he who is able to confer or remove whatever that man seeks or shuns. Whoever then would be free, let him wish for nothing, let him decline nothing, which depends on others; else he must necessarily be a slave."

The appeal to save this has a deadline of the end of this month. It would be
such a shame if it were lost forever.

http://www.camulos.com/circus.htm

Merula


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Maior Catoni sd;
read the U.S Copyright law & fair use provisions, familiarize yourself with them and follow them before you post. Otherwise Laeca and I will address this matter.

Laeca and I are praetrices, singular praetrix. Males are praetor, praetores (pl) Scholastica give excellent Latin courses, it would be excellent if all Nova Romans enrolled to further our Latinity.
M. Hortensia Maior
praetrix

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "Cato" <catoinnyc@...> wrote:
>
> Cato Maiori sal.
>
> You need to read more carefully, praetor, both the specifics about which you speak and the terms under which Yahoo! operates. You apparently understand neither. But everyone can learn something every day, so be of good cheer!
>
> Vale!
>
> Cato
>
>
>
> --- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "rory12001" <rory12001@> wrote:
> >
> > M. Hortensia praetrix G. Equitio Catoni;
> > when you post materials from another site or work you must conform to U.S Copyright Law. If the poster is in Europe or South America the relevant conventions apply. Translations are also copyrighted. You are responsible for what you post.
> >
> > Copyright violation is a serious matter, I have provided legal links, if you need one for your country write to me and I will provide one. Everyone needs to familiarize her or himself with their relevant copyright laws.
> >
> > Here is an informative link;
> > U.S http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/
> >
> > EU http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32001L0029:EN:HTML
> >
> > Brasil http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2009/12/23/copyright-law-reform-in-brazil-anteprojeto-or-anti-project/
> > Tibi gratias ago Modiane,
> > M. Hortensia Maior
> > Praetrix
>

Cato Maiori sal.

You have already "addressed" this matter in any case, as you sign your posts with your current title, so it must be assumed that it is official correspondence. You have no authority to do any more than you already have, nor is any given you under Yahoo!'s Terms of Service. I had thought that our esteemed Cordus had made this quite clear to you.

I will call you "praetor" because that is the title given you by our Constitution, none other, and it is historically correct. For someone who constantly inveigles about the necessity of true romanitas, you should be perfectly comfortable with this. Any perceived slight is exactly that - perceived, and unfounded in reality.

Vale,

Cato

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "rory12001" <rory12001@...> wrote:
>
> Maior Catoni sd;
> read the U.S Copyright law & fair use provisions, familiarize yourself with them and follow them before you post. Otherwise Laeca and I will address this matter.
>
> Laeca and I are praetrices, singular praetrix. Males are praetor, praetores (pl) Scholastica give excellent Latin courses, it would be excellent if all Nova Romans enrolled to further our Latinity.
> M. Hortensia Maior
> praetrix

C. Maria Caeca omnibus in foro S.P.S.

Hmmm ...hope I got that right! OK, to my point. One of the differences between exact reconstruction and recreation is that there are times when we need to adapt to the differences imposed by the passage of time, major cultural changes, and the adaptations they have required of us. In roma Antiqua, for example, there were only praetors because, well, only men could be elected to the office. I wonder, though, had there been universal suffrage ...what would the ancient Romans have called a lady Praetor ...I suspect, Praetrix, because that is good Latin grammar. As I understand things (and keep in mind, please, that I am a mere Plebeian neophyte, Latin is much fussier than English about gender. I guaranty that is is about agreement in noun, adjective, etc. etc. (ad infinitis).

We, in NR, *do* have Universal suffrage, so we can elect women as anything they want to be, if they can get the votes, so I think that Praetrix would be the correct term when addressing either one of ours ...if we want to grammatically correct in terms of Latin ...if not in terms of historical accuracy. The alternative, of course, would be to allow only the guys to play in the political arena ...and that would be ...um ...a rather dangerous thing to attempt (big smile), because, like our Roman foremothers, we nova Romanae are not delicate shrinking violets. Roses, perhaps, replete with sharp thorns when the occasion warrants.

If I am linguistally tangled, I urge someone (waves to my magistra) to untangle me ...again, as usual, (grin).

Valete Optime,
C. Maria Caeca, who does realize it is unnecessary to actually sign posts if you say who you are in the salutation but I'm a creature of habit, I guess.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

T.Flavius Aquila omnibus S.P.D.

Well , call me a traditionalist, but I will continue the use of the terms Censor,Consul, Praetor,Senator. That is no disrespect to the women of Nova Roma in these positions, not at all, it just follows the naming conventions of our ancestors and our constitution.It follows a more then 1000 years history of Rome.

As far as I know in the US Senate, the female Senators are as well referred to as Senator. Senator Clinton (Hillary) for example.

Well to be very honest with you ;-) praetrix, senatrix, always sounds to me, to an European ear,  like being directly derived from Asterix and Obelix, these two famous Gaul warriors and their stories.

Valete bene,
T.Flavius Aquila

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http://mail.yahoo.com

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

A. Tullia Scholastica C. Mariae Caecae quiritibus, sociis, peregrinisque
bonae voluntatis S.P.D.

True to form, I was unable to post via the interface; a pop-up blocks
this possibility.

--- In Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com, "C.Maria Caeca" <c.mariacaeca@...> wrote:
>
> C. Maria Caeca omnibus in foro S.P.S.
>
> Hmmm ...hope I got that right! OK, to my point. One of the differences
between exact reconstruction and recreation is that there are times when we need
to adapt to the differences imposed by the passage of time, major cultural
changes, and the adaptations they have required of us. In roma Antiqua, for
example, there were only praetors because, well, only men could be elected to
the office.

ATS: Exactly.

I wonder, though, had there been universal suffrage ...what would the
ancient Romans have called a lady Praetor ...I suspect, Praetrix, because
that is good Latin grammar. As I understand things (and keep in mind,
please, that I am a mere Plebeian neophyte, Latin is much fussier than
English about gender. I guaranty that is is about agreement in noun,
adjective, etc. etc. (ad infinitis).

ATS: You betcha. Ad infinitum, however.
>
> We, in NR, *do* have Universal suffrage, so we can elect women as anything
they want to be, if they can get the votes, so I think that Praetrix would be
the correct term when addressing either one of ours ...if we want to
grammatically correct in terms of Latin ...if not in terms of historical
accuracy.

ATS: Quaestrix and praetrix are perfectly fine Latin. So is tribuna. There
is no feminine for censor or consul, and we are having a little discussion
on another list about nouns similar to the first of these--or we were before
my ISP's incoming server became seriously ill 14 hours ago, and has hidden
the mail deep in its silicon innards.

The alternative, of course, would be to allow only the guys to play in the
political arena

ATS: Well, there are those who think we shouldn't even vote, let alone hold
office...or teach Latin, for that matter. They tend to hang out with one
another on a certain list or two or three where more sensible folk rarely
dare to venture.

...and that would be ...um ...a rather dangerous thing to attempt (big
smile), because, like our Roman foremothers, we nova Romanae are not
delicate shrinking violets. Roses, perhaps, replete with sharp thorns when
the occasion warrants.

ATS: Spinae in rosis? Tsk, tsk.
>
> If I am linguistally tangled, I urge someone (waves to my magistra) to
untangle me ...again, as usual, (grin).

ATS: Your magistra hopes you will receive this. Yahoo doesn't like me to
send messages via their interface. I don¹t trust the regular mail at this
point, but will have to try.

>
> Valete Optime,
> C. Maria Caeca, who does realize it is unnecessary to actually sign posts if
you say who you are in the salutation but I'm a creature of habit, I guess.

Vale, et valete.
>
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Maior Caecae Aquilaeque spd;
we're modern Romans respecting our mos and adapting to the new, as my friend Cordus says Romans were traditional but also practical. Latin has masculine, feminine and neuter and professions ie: tonsor, tonstrix were differentiated. Avitus himself was very pleased to see neologisms coined, as Latin is a living language not a dead one!

It is up to the women if they wish to use these Latin terms. I certainly do and I know Scholastica does as well, she was praetrix 2 years ago. Additionally we are proud Senatrices.

>
> Well , call me a traditionalist, but I will continue the use of the terms Censor,Consul, Praetor,Senator. That is no disrespect to the women of Nova Roma in these positions, not at all, it just follows the naming conventions of our ancestors and our constitution.It follows a more then 1000 years history of Rome.
>
> As far as I know in the US Senate, the female Senators are as well referred to as Senator. Senator Clinton (Hillary) for example.
>
> Well to be very honest with you ;-) praetrix, senatrix, always sounds to me, to an European ear, like being directly derived from Asterix and Obelix, these two famous Gaul warriors and their stories.
>
> Valete bene,
> T.Flavius Aquila
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Sie sind Spam leid? Yahoo! Mail verfügt über einen herausragenden Schutz gegen Massenmails.
> http://mail.yahoo.com
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Salvete Quirites!

I want to remind You of the need for candidates for the coming
election. We still have no candidates for the the for FOUR positions
as Quaestores. The position is the first step in the Cursus Honorum
and one of the offices needed to be able to stand for higher offices.
The Questorship is a good start in ones career in Nova Roma and the
Consuls, Preatores and all four Aediles willl have a Quaestor at their
side. Working as a Quaestor is also a good way to learn the ropes.

*******************

Ex Officio Consulis Caesonis Fabii Buteonis Quintiliani

Edictum Consulare CFBQ II de candidati Comitia Populi Tributa CFBQ

(The Second Consular edict CFBQ on candidates in Comitia Populi
Tributa CFBQ).


I hereby call for candidates to stand for election to some ordinary
magistracies of the Comitia Populi Tributa.

Anyone wishing to serve in any of these positions must have been a
citizen for at least six months by Kal. Mar. MMDCCLXIII (March 1st,
2010) and be an assiduus (tax-paying) citizen.

I will convene the comitia for the elections at a later time in
February, but candidates are welcome to announce themselves and begin
campaigning if they wish.

All potential candidates must contact me with their intention to stand
for office directly by sending a message to:
christer dot edling at telia dot com
in order to be placed on the ballot. Please include the word
"candidate" in the subject of the message, and be sure to tell me your
full Nova Roman name and the office for which you will campaign.

Simply announcing your candidacy to one of the lists shall not be
accepted. You must write to me directly.

Candidacies will be accepted until 15 February 2009 (18.00 hrs CET
Rome; 12.00 hrs EST Philadelphia).

As I need some advise about proper dates I will have to come back with
the exact dates for contio and election.

On behalf of the Res Publica Libera Senatus Populique Novae Romae I,
Caeso Fabius Buteo Quintilianus, Consul, hereby issue this call for
candidates for the following offices:


IV QUAESTORES: Must be at least 21 years old as of Kal. Mar. 2763
(March 1st, 2010). Must be assiduus.
I ROGATORES: Must be at least 21 years old as of Kal. Mar. 2763 (March
1st, 2010). Must be assiduus.


I DIRIBITORES: Must be at least 21 years old as of Kal. Mar. 2763
(March 1st, 2010). Must be assiduus.


Given this 6th of February, in the year of the Consulship of P.
Memmius Albucius and the Second Consulship of K.Fabius Buteo
Quintilianus, 2763 AUC.

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

Caeso Fabius Buteo Quintilianus

Consul Iterum
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






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

Caeso Fabius Buteo Quintilianus

Consul Iterum
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






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

M. Moravius Piscinus Quiritibus, cultoribus Deorum et omnibus salutem plurimam dicit: Deos ego omnis ut fortunas sint precor

Hodie est ante diem III Eidus Februariae; haec dies nefastus est: FORNICALIA

: FORNICALIA :

"Numa first established the custom of offering corn to the Gods, and of propitiating them with the salted cake; he was the first, too, as we learn from Hemina, to parch spelt, from the fact that, when in this state, it is more wholesome as an alimen. This method, however, he could only establish one way: by making an enactment, to the effect that spelt is not in a pure state for offering, except when parched. He it was, too, who instituted the Fornacalia, festivals appropriated for the parching of corn, and others, observed with equal solemnity, for the erection and preservation of the 'termini,' or boundaries of the fields: for these termini, in those days, they particularly regarded as Gods; while to other divinities they gave the names of Seia, from 'sero' ('to sow'), and of Segesta, from the title 'segetes,' or 'crops of standing corn,' the statues of which Goddesses we still see erected in the Circus. A third divinity (Tutilina) it is forbidden by the rules of our religion to name even beneath a roof. In former days, too, they would not so much as taste the corn when newly cut, nor yet wine when just made, before the sacerdotes had made a libation of the first-fruits." ~ C. Plinius Secundus, Historia Naturalis 18.8

A festival of ovens, the Fornacalia was a feriae conceptive, meaning that it did not have a fixed date. The rite was performed pro curiis and at public expense as a sacrum publicum before Liberalia (17 Feb.) The City was once divided into three tribes: the Tities, the Ramnes, and the Luceres. Legend posed these to be the tribes of Latins who followed Romulus, the Sabine followers of Titus, and Etruscans who were resettled in Rome. These tribes were further divided into ten units each, for a total of thirty curiae. Originally each curia was composed of ten gentes. Each curia had its own meetinghouse, each with its own distinctive shrine, a hearth, and dining hall (Dionysius Halicarnassus 2.23). Each hall also held a special table (mensa) on which was set offerings to Juno Curis (Dion. Hal. 2.50; Paulus 64). The curiae were the units upon which the Roman army was built in the Early Republic. Juno Curis (of the Spear) was a patron Goddess of a curia, who should not necessarily be confused with Juno Capitolina. The early organization of the Roman populace into curiae by Romulus, may explain their being called Curites, or Quirites. Even later, when centuries became the polical and military divisions of the populace, the curiae still retained a quasi-political organization, but centered around it ancient religious responsibilities. Dionysius of Halicarnassus recorded the legend of curiae as founded by Romulus. To explain this religious function, as he saw them in his own time.

"In the first place, he appointed a great number of persons to carry on the worship of the Gods. At any rate, no one could name any other newly-founded city in which so many priests and ministers of the Gods were appointed from the beginning. For, apart from those who held family priesthoods, sixty were appointed in his reign to perform by tribes and curiae the public sacrifices on behalf of the commonwealth; I am merely repeating what Terentius Varro, the most learned man of his age, has written in his Antiquities. In the next place, whereas others generally choose in a careless and inconsiderate manner those who are to preside over religious matters, some thinking fit to make public sale of this honour and others disposing of it by lot, he would not allow the priesthoods to be either purchased for money or assigned by lot, but made a law that each curia should choose two men over fifty years of age, of distinguished birth and exceptional merit, of competent fortune, and without any bodily defects; and he ordered that these should enjoy their honours, not for any fixed period, but for life, freed from military service by their age and from civil burdens by the law." ~ Dionysius of Halicarnassus 2.21.1-3

At a curia's meetinghouse was held curial feasts, at least one monthly. In the Late Republic the curiae took on an important role in electioneering. Milo and Clodius each drew their gangs from the curiae, Caesar and his rivals employed them as well. The monthly or weekly meetings in these halls turned the curiae into places from which ward bosses controlled those living in their respective neighborhoods, and thus also how the people voted. There was nothing subtle about the system; each curia worked its neighborhood like a mafia street gang. After the Civil War, Caesar tried to curb their political power. Augustus eventually replaced their administrative role by reorganizing the City into the vici, and eliminated their political importance with vici viri in place of curiones.

Under the Empire the curiae retained some of their former religious roles, "where sacerdotes were to attend to the affairs of the Gods (Varro Lingua Latinae 5.155)." Each curia was served by a flamen to act as priest and by a Curio, who had to be at least fifty years of age. The Angeronalia (21 Dec.) was conducted in the Curia Acculeia (Varro, De Linga Latina 6.23).

From among the college of Curiones was chosen the Curio Maximus who was entitled to wear the toga praetexta. Each year he would announce the date on which the Fornicalia would be held. In the Forum he posted separate notices for each of the thirty curiae, to include where the final ceremony would occur, at the sacellum of a Curia Maxima, or the leading Curia of the City. The Curio Maximus had always been a patrician; that is, until 209 BCE:

AUC 544 / 209 BCE: Election of the first Plebeian Curio Maximus

"While the public attention was fixed on more important matters an old controversy was revived on the occasion of the election of a Curio Maximus, in place of M. Aemilius. There was one candidate, a plebeian, C. Mamilius Atellus, and the patricians contended that no votes ought to be counted for him, as none but a patrician had ever yet held that dignity. The tribunes, on being appealed to, referred the matter to the Senate, the Senate left it to the decision of the people. C. Mamilius Atellus was accordingly the first plebeian to be elected Curio Maximus." ~ Titus Livius 27.8

The rites performed in the curia retained a simplicity from the early religio Romana, and thus was the festival attributed to Numa Pompilius. Silver goblets were prohibited; simple offerings of cakes were used even when Rome attained the height of power and wealth. Each family was to bring an offering of grain (far) that had been roasted in antique fashion in a furnace near the pistrina at home. The roasted grain was then crushed by a primitive technique still seen in the Balkans, in India, and among other places. This produced a coarse far meal that was then formed into the cakes that each family brought to the meetinghouse. These were offered to Fornax, a Goddess of archaic outdoor ovens, or oasters, used to preserve the grain through winter. The "first fruits" of the wheat harvest were offered to Ceres, and here She may have been offered ears of unroasted grain beside Fornax.

Those who forgot to participate in the shared meal of their curia had until the Quirinalia of 17 February to offer to Fornax. For this reason, Ovid referred to the the day of the Quirinalia also being the "feast of fools."

Learn too why this day is called the Feast of Fools.
The reason for it is trivial but fitting:
The earth of old was farmed by ignorant men.
Fierce wars weakened their powerful bodies.
There was more glory in the sword than the plough:
And the neglected farm brought its owner little return.
Yet the ancients sowed corn, corn they reaped,
Offering the first fruits of the corn harvest to Ceres.
Taught by practice they parched it in the flames,
And incurred many losses through their own mistakes.
Sometimes they'd sweep up burnt ash and not corn,
Sometimes the flames took their huts themselves:
The oven was made a goddess, Fornax: the farmers
Pleased with Her, prayed She'd regulate the grain's heat.
Now the Curio Maximus, in a set form of words, declares
The shifting date of the Fornacalia, the Feast of Ovens:
And round the Forum hang many tablets,
On which every ward displays its particular sign.
Foolish people don't know which is their ward,
So they hold the feast on the last possible day.

~ Ovidius Naso, Fasti 2, 513-532



AUC 696 / 57 BCE: Trial of L. Calpurnius Piso Bestia for bribing voters during his campaign for Aedilis

"On the 11th of February I spoke in defence of (L. Calpurnius Piso) Bestia on a charge of bribery before the praetor Cn. Domitius, in the middle of the forum and in a very crowded court; and in the course of my speech I came to the incident of Sestius, after receiving many wounds in the temple of Castor, having been preserved by the aid of Bestia. Here I took occasion to pave the way beforehand for a refutation of the charges of which are being brought against Sestius, and I passed a well-deserved encomium upon him with the cordial approval of everybody. He was himself very much delighted with it. I tell you this because you have often advised me in your letters to retain the friendship of Sestius. I am writing this on the 12th of February before daybreak the day on which I am to dine with Pomponius on the occasion of his wedding." ~ M. Tullius Cicero, Epist. Ad Quint. 2.3

Calpurnius Bestia had been an aedilis c. 59 BCE. In 57 he was involved in the effort to end Cicero's exile, and thereby became a target for Clodius. It was his campaign seeking election as praetor, which he won, that brought about a charge of bribery. The prosecutor was M. Caecilius Rufus. For the defense was Cicero. Both had faced one another two years earlier when Cicero had defended Antonius. Cicero won once more, but Caelius Rufus was not yet done with Bestia. He again filed a charge of de ambitu against Calpurnius Bestia, winning his prosecution. Bestia was thus prevented from holding his office.


AUC 697 / 56 BCE: Electorial legislation and manipulation

"On the 11th of February a decree passed the senate as to bribery on the motion of Afranius, against which I had spoken when you were in the house. To the loudly expressed disapprobation of the senate the consuls did not go on with the proposals of those who, while agreeing with Afranius's motion, added a rider that after their election the praetors were to remain private citizens for sixty days. On that day they unmistakably threw over Cato. In short, they manage everything their own way, and wish all the world to understand it to be so." ~ M. Tullius Cicero Ltr. to Quintus FR 2.7

In 56 BCE M. Crassus and Pompeius Magnus were elected consuls for the following year. They next pushed through their own men as praetors and aediles. Milo was elected praetor. The factio of M. Cato oppposed the triumvirs. Cato himself ran for and lost the election for praetor. The Cato to which Cicero refers above was Gaius Cato, tribune in 56. Following the conference of Luca that brought the triumvirs back together, Gaius Cato became their tribune. It isn't clear whether C. Cato proposed the measure or tried to oppose it on behalf of the triumvirs. The intent was to provide a period when the newly elected praetors of the triumvirs were subject to prosecution. In 54 BCE C. Cato was himself indicted under two counts for improperly passing legislation. His prosecutor was Assinius Pollio, who would go on to become famed as an historian. At this time he was still a young man and one of Catullus' friends. For the defense their was a young poet and orator, Licinius Calvus, and Pompeius' man M. Scaurus. Then of course Pompeius also employed Cicero to defend C. Cato against the M. Cato factio. C. Cato was acquitted.


AUC 794 / 41 CE: Birth of Britannicus, son of Emperor Claudius and Messalima.

AUC 803- 808 / 50-55 CE: Birth of Domitia Longina, wife of the Emperor Domitianus.


Today's thought of the day is from Epicurus, Vatican Sayings 8:

"The wealth required by nature is limited and is easy to procure; but the wealth required by vain ideals extends to infinity."

================================================================
explorator 12.42 February 7, 2010
================================================================
Editor's note: Most urls should be active for at least eight
hours from the time of publication.

For your computer's protection, Explorator is sent in plain text
and NEVER has attachments. Be suspicious of any Explorator which
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================================================================
================================================================
Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon,Barnea Selavan, 'Catherine'
Diana Wright,Donna Hurst, Edward Rockstein, Donna Hurst, Duke Jason,
Kurt Theis,John McMahon, Joseph Lauer,Mike Ruggeri,Richard C. Griffiths,
Bob Heuman, Rochelle Altman,Toke Lindegaard Knudsen,
and Ross W. Sargent for headses upses this week (as always
hoping I have left no one out).
================================================================
EARLY HUMANS
================================================================
They've found some Neanderthal teeth in Poland:

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/world/story/997118.html
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1817059/three_neanderthal_teeth_found_in_poland/index.html?source=r_science

Also on the dental front ... some evidence to confirm the Barker
hypothesis (which I'd never heard of):

http://www.physorg.com/news184519813.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100204204315.htm
http://www.dentistry.co.uk/news/news_detail.php?id=2527
================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
Hype for an upcoming press conference on the Tut DNA results (!):

http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/hawass-to-announce-king-tut-dna-results.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/31/AR2010013100756.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1147700.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hC05v6N96sFAxcCjiccMCTVsd8AQ
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/tutankhamen-may-find-his-mummy-20100201-n7cn.html
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100131/tut_DNA_100131/20100131?hub=TorontoNewHome
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/01/31/egypt-announce-king-tut-dna-results-438403431
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/01/2806274.htm

Egypt announced the completion of the restoration of the oldest
Christian monastery:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=36063
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14337886?source=rss
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/02/04/general-ml-egypt-monastery_7329254.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8500091.stm

Restoring the Avenue of Sphinxes:

http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/luxors-sphinx-avenue-to-be-restored.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/news/excavation-and-restoration-on-the-avenue-of-sphinxes-1888212.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5idJ--Qk8Bz03tCIJW_YPvHhS_MxA
http://heritage-key.com/blogs/ann/restoring-avenue-sphinxes-and-protecting-it-future

Feature on ancient Egyptian sports:

http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=7&id=19762

Finds from various periods from Syria's Hasska province:

http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/201002064686/Travel/archaeological-findings-cuneiform-tablets-seals-and-tombs-unearthed-in-syria.html

... and three cemeteries from Southern Syria too:

http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/201002054680/Related-news-from-Syria/4-thousand-year-archaeological-cemeteries-discovered-in-syria.html

Interview with Franck Goddio:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=cleopatras-alexandria-treasures-10-01-31

Interview with Donny George:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Radio/News.aspx/1904

An interview with Aaron Demsky on matters onomastic:

http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c228_a17804/Special_Sections/Text_Context.html

A couple of items on the political side of archaeology in the
City of David area:

http://www.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,64098268001_1957917,00.html(video)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/8480304.stm

Not quite sure what to make of this (rather dated) report
suggesting a DNA connection between the Mizo people and one
of Israel's lost tribes:

http://farshores.org/a04mizo.htm

Egyptology News Blog:

http://egyptology.blogspot.com/

Egyptology Blog:

http://www.egyptologyblog.co.uk/

Dr Leen Ritmeyer's Blog:

http://blog.ritmeyer.com/

Paleojudaica:

http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/

Persepolis Fortification Archives:

http://persepolistablets.blogspot.com/

Archaeologist at Large:

http://spaces.msn.com/members/ArchaeologyinEgypt/
================================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
================================================================
Roman burials in Sleaford (this story seems to be developing):

http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/news/Skeleton-key-heritage/article-1798637-detail/article.html
http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/news/Second-skeleton-Roman-dig-site/article-1810585-detail/article.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/8498311.stm

A new underwater archaeological site off Polyaigos:

http://www.balkantravellers.com/en/read/article/1720

What Anne Carson has been up to:

http://www.emorywheel.com/detail.php?n=27927

Blog/feature on the Iliad:

http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2010/02/homer-the-iliad-1-of-2/

How the Iliad still speaks to us:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/charlottehigginsblog/2010/feb/01/poetry-classics

cf:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/30/iliad-war-charlotte-higgins

Review of some Iliad-related tomes:

http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2010/02/07/looking_at_the_iliad_and_seeing_ourselves/

Review of Z Mason, *The Lost Books of the Odyssey*:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/05/RVAP1BL74T.DTL

Review of Robert Harris, *Conspirata*:

http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews2/9780743266109.asp
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-book6-2010feb06,0,2392748.story

Review of Peter Stothart, *Onthe Spartacus Road*:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-1248537/Spartacus.html
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/0206/1224263856999.html


More on that burial of an 'Asian' at Vagnari:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100201171756.htm
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/world/Ancient+Asian+skeleton+unearthed+Italy/2511950/story.html
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1817064/dna_testing_on_ancient_bones_in_italy_reveal_east_asian/index.html?source=r_science
http://www.smh.com.au/world/dna-finding-reveals-asians-in-roman-empire-20100206-njvs.html
http://www.physorg.com/news184269403.html

More on fragments of the Codex Gregorianus being found:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/02/100203-lost-codex-gregorianus-roman-law-book/

More on that 'Swiss Army Knife':

http://asia.cnet.com/crave/2010/02/01/did-the-romans-invent-the-swiss-army-knife-/

More on Trajan's aqueduct:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8486518.stm

Latest reviews from Scholia:

http://www.classics.ukzn.ac.za/reviews/

Latest reviews from BMCR:

http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/recent.html

Visit our blog:

http://rogueclassicism.com/
================================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
================================================================
Evidence that Stonehenge was surrounded by hedges:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/feb/04/stonehenge-hedge-discovery

They're looking for Columba's monastery:

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Search-for--Columba39s-monastery.6041441.jp

A long-lost theory on Silbury Hill has been rediscovered:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/8495004.stm
http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/4884791.Long_lost_theory_on_Silbury_Hill_is_uncovered/

Interesting addition to the site of Bannockburn:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article7017170.ece


A bronze brooch has emerged after a turf fire in north Kerry:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0204/1224263734175.html
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/kfkfkfcwsnmh/rss2/

They've put a face on Auning Woman (bog body facial reconstrucion;
no photo):

http://jp.dk/uknews/article1963662.ece

Viking silver from Shenstone:

http://www.thisislichfield.co.uk/news/Viking-treasure-Shenstone/article-1804736-detail/article.html

A number of underwater sites have been identified off the UK's
North East coast:

http://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/features/Hidden-Wrecks-Revealed.4926218.jp

A follow-up to that story from a while back about soldiers'
remains from the Battle of Fromelles:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8485734.stm

Archaeology in Europe Blog:

http://www.archaeology.eu.com/weblog/index.html

Review of Frederick Brown, *For the Soul of France*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/07/books/review/Suleiman-t.html

Review of Caroline Weber, *Apres le Deluge*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/books/review/Weber-t.html
================================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
================================================================
Assorted 25 000 years b.p. finds from Rajasthan:

http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/03/stories/2010020358960500.htm

An 8000 years b.p. burial from Kenyir Lake (Malaysia) found by
clumsy archaeologists:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/6/nation/20100206193148&sec=nation

A 2000 years b.p. burial from easter Mongolia has 'western'
ancestry:

http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/mongolian-tomb-western-skeleton.html

A 1500 years b.p. city ate from Mahasthangarh:

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=125099

They've banned construction around monuments in Agra:

http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-45210.html

Interesting followup to the Cao Cao tomb thing:

http://atimes.com/atimes/China/LB03Ad01.html

Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog:

http://www.southeastasianarchaeology.com/

New Zealand Archaeology eNews:

http://www.nzarchaeology.org/netsubnews.htm
================================================================
NORTH AMERICA
================================================================
Remote sensing suggests there are a number of items in the
Nikwasi Mound:

http://www.maconnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6291&Itemid=34

Native Americans domesticated turkeys a couple of millennia
ago:

http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/native-americans-turkeys-domestication.html

A village at Fort Ancient:

http://www.richmondregister.com/localnews/local_story_029201854.html

American Castles:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111063102

More on the Oxford Mound:

http://annistonstar.com/bookmark/5734681
http://annistonstar.com/bookmark/5740243

Review of Clare Clark, *Savage Lands*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/07/books/review/Vernon-t.html

Review of Bettye Collier-Thomas, *Jesus, Jobs, and Justice*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/07/books/review/Ford-t.html
================================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
================================================================
A possible Tubar site in Chihuahua:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=36066
http://dti.inah.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=39&Itemid=150


Some more interesting finds from Tonina:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=36101
http://dti.inah.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=39&Itemid=150
http://dti.inah.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4121&Itemid=329


cf. more on that sarcophagus from Tonina mentioned last week:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=35972

Peru plans to resume digging at Huaca Rajada:

http://www.andina.com.pe/Ingles/Noticia.aspx?id=5YnugNS8fBI=

Bolivian archaeologists are collecting DNA from mummies as part
of the Geno-graphic Project:

http://english.cctv.com/program/cultureexpress/20100204/101406.shtml

Trying to get a grant to study Chinchorro mummies:

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20100131/NEWS01/1310370/1002/NEWS01

Searching for evidence of pre-Carib and pre-Arawak folk:

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_features?id=161590514

They're restoring some walls at the Chan Chan complex:

http://www.andina.com.pe/Ingles/Noticia.aspx?id=LY5RnXYm1Tg=

Mike Ruggeri's Ancient Americas Breaking News:

http://web.mac.com/michaelruggeri

Ancient MesoAmerica News:

http://ancient-mesoamerica-news-updates.blogspot.com/
================================================================
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
================================================================
The next 'famous exhumation' candidate seems to be Tycho Brahe:

http://politiken.dk/newsinenglish/article892671.ece

Apparently Charles Darwin's ancestors were among the first
group of homo sapienseseses to leave Africa:

http://www.physorg.com/news184484254.html
http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/845/f/464365/s/8fd5398/l/0L0Sbelfasttelegraph0O0Cnews0Clocal0Enational0Ccharles0Edarwins0Eancestors0Eamong0Efirst0Ehomo0Esapiens0Eto0Eleave0Eafrica0E1466890A20Bhtml0Dr0FRSS/story01.htm

The founders of British obstetrics weren't very nice people:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/feb/07/british-obstetrics-founders-murders-claim

The last speaker of the Bo language has passed away:

http://news.discovery.com/human/the-65000-year-old-language-goes-extinct.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/04/ancient-language-extinct-speaker-dies
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=79&artid=31154
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8498534.stm

I think we mentioned this whiskey-from-Antarctica before:

http://www.physorg.com/news184568979.html
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0206/1224263887302.html
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/more-whisky-brandy-found-in-antarctica-3349662
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/whisky-on-the-rocks-polar-explorers-stash-recovered-2051109.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7016136.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797093

On what they munched on during Shakespearean performances:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123202247

Item on the restoration of a/the Verrocchio:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article7017259.ece

Humanities appears to be tough at Princeton:

http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2010/02/04/25005/

Some Valentine's Day stuff:

http://sundaystandard.info/news/news_item.php?NewsID=6874&GroupID=2

The Christian origins of Groundhog Day:

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=271857

Interesting feature on George Steiner:

http://www.hindu.com/lr/2010/02/07/stories/2010020750140400.htm

Feature on the UArizona dendrochronology lab:

http://www.abc15.com/content/news/centralsouthernarizona/tucson/story/University-of-Arizonas-tree-ring-lab-unlocking/-6edBra4uk-ePhLKqzYMgw.cspx

Mozart murdered?:

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/lif/2010/02/07-03/Annapolis-woman-investigates-Mozarts-death.html

Feature on Paul Ehrlich:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/health/02first.html


Opeddish thing on the King's College Palaeography thing:

http://thefastertimes.com/academicpolitics/2010/02/03/a-bunch-of-pissed-off-medievalists/

More on the Royal Society's 350th:

http://www.physorg.com/news184127779.html

Review of a couple of books about Mary Anning:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/science/02scibooks.html

Review of Rebecca Goldstein, *36 Arguments For the Existence
of God*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/books/review/Schillinger-t.html

Review of Christopher Andrew, *Defend the Realm*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/books/review/MacIntyre-t.html

Review of Chinua Achebe, *The Education of a British-Protected Child*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/books/review/Glover-t.html
================================================================
TOURISTY THINGS
================================================================
Turkey's Top 10:

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-200809-117-turkeys-top-10-archaeological-sites.html
================================================================
BLOGS AND PODCASTS
================================================================
About.com Archaeology:

http://archaeology.about.com/

Archaeology Briefs:

http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/

Naked Archaeology Podcast:

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/archaeology/

Taygete Atlantis excavations blogs aggregator:

http://planet.atlantides.org/taygete/

================================================================
GENERAL MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS
================================================================
CSA Newsletter (January 2010):

http://csanet.org/newsletter/#winter10

================================================================
CRIME BEAT
================================================================
Egypt has passed its new antiquities law, with more severe
penalties for theft/smuggling of antiquities:

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2010/984/eg3.htm
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hnyIwyk_1Xh7ZU4-W_oBxmVXD2gw
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/sci-tech/06-egypt-tightens-penalties-for-relics-robbers-smugglers-rs-06
http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/14078

A Hindu temple near Bangladesh was vandalized:

http://www.malaysianews.net/story/598084
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=341452&version=1&template_id=44&parent_id=24

Looting Matters:

http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/
================================================================
NUMISMATICA
================================================================
That oldest Roman coin ever found in Britain is going on display:

http://www.harboroughmail.co.uk/news/Oldest-Roman-coin-found-in.6031766.jp

Feature on someone's coin collection (various periods):

http://www.leaderpost.com/health/Every+Coin+tells+Story/2503046/story.html

Latest E-Sylum:

http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_v13n05.html

Ancient Coin Collecting:

http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins:

http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/

Coin Link:

http://www.coinlink.com/News/
================================================================
EXHIBITIONS, AUCTIONS, AND MUSEUM-RELATED
================================================================
1001 Inventions:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/feb/01/islamic-science

Sexe, Mort et Sacrifice:

http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/programmation/exhibitions/prochainement/sexe-mort-et-sacrifice.html

Arts of Ancient Vietnam:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/arts/design/05viet.html

Rubbers:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/arts/design/05sex.html

Playing with Pictures:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/arts/design/05victorian.html

From the Gothic Tradition to the Early Renaissance:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/arts/design/05galleries.html

Ramayana Revisited:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/arts/04iht-RAMAYANA.html

Heroes: Mortals and Myths in Ancient Greece:

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100207/ENTERTAINMENT0507/2070307/1005/ENTERTAINMENT/+Heroes++is+an+art-filled+odyssey

Iran has officially severed ties with the BM over that whole Cyrus
Cylinder thing:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/8502654.stm
http://www.cais-soas.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=113:ichtho-severed-all-ties-with-the-british-museum-over-cyrus-the-great-cylinder&catid=40
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20100206/tpl-uk-iran-britain-museum-19346ad.html
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6151FE20100206

... and the Guardian has a briefinterview with Neil MacGregor on
this and related subjects:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/feb/02/neil-macgregor-london-review-books

Is there Trojan gold in the Penn Museum?:

http://www.philly.com/philly/health_and_science/83184682.html

The Met returned an item to Egypt:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/news/temple-fragment-returns-to-egypt-and-its-place-1888214.html

Some interesting maps are coming to auction:

http://www.americanaexchange.com/NewAE/aemonthly/article.asp?f=1&page=1&id=905

Nice price for a Giacometti:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/arts/design/04giacometti.html

A couple of items on the European art market:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/arts/04iht-melik4.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/arts/05iht-melik5.html)

... and the auction market:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/06/arts/06iht-Melik6.html

Problems for the FDR library:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/books/03papers.html

Assorted antiques items:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/arts/design/05antiques.html

More on the terracotta army coming to Canada:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5j0P4-wiX4NOoafk8QNUOAVXZS7fA
================================================================
PERFORMANCES AND THEATRE-RELATED
================================================================
Falstaff:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/arts/03iht-LOOMIS.html

Leipzig String Quartet:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/arts/music/05quartet.html

Opera Lafayette:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/arts/music/05lafayette.html

Gee's Bend:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/nyregion/31theaterct.html
================================================================
OBITUARIES
================================================================
Hans L. Trefousse:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/nyregion/05trefousse.html

Louis R. Harlan:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/books/30harlan.html
================================================================
PODCASTS
================================================================
Renaissance Thought: The Lost Continent between Logic and the
Occult:

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/classics/podcast

The Book and the Spade:

http://www.radioscribe.com/bknspade.htm

The Dig:

http://www.thedigradio.com/

Stone Pages Archaeology News:

http://news.stonepages.com/

Archaeologica Audio News:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org/AudioNews.asp
================================================================
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the labours of 'media research division' of The Atrium. Various
on-line news and magazine sources are scoured for news of the
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