Nephele

Hi, Ashlon. Male or female? -- Nephele

I wish Amazon or Google Books had a preview of this book. It sounds intriguing. -- Nephele

Salve, Lady N Ah, thank you for that link, Asc. I see that this is the same news item that GPM had posted about in December. Am merging topic. -- Nephele

Is this article to be found online? If so, could you please link to it? -- Nephele

frankq, I don't think you are quite understanding the responses given you by various members here. You are asking what we "folks as readers would find helpful." Well, we told you. Speaking strictly for myself, I find biographical companion volumes helpful in sorting out the "cast of characters" (your expression). Like Augusta, I don't have any problem with genealogy charts. But an expanded listing or index (as you suggested) obviously would contain more information. However, I believe a book of collected, alphabetically arranged, biographical entries (perhaps even cross-referenced) is the best of all. Augusta, I'd forgotten about Bowder's Who Was Who in the Roman World. Thanks for reminding me of this book, which I'm fortunate to have in my library's collection. Yes, I agree, that's a very useful book! -- Nephele

Then perhaps what you want is a biographical companion volume for whatever history book you are reading. Philip Matyszak's Chronicle of the Roman Republic: The Rulers of Ancient Rome from Romulus to Augustus is not only an excellent history book in its own right, but can also serve as a biographical companion volume for other works. The book has individual entries for fifty-seven significant Romans of the Republic. Each entry includes a little "fact box" which lists the names of that individual's parents, wives, and children. The individual entries also name other family members and contemporaries, while presenting an overview of the individual's accomplishments and place in Roman history. Another handy biographical companion volume is Ancient Romans by Rosalie F. and Charles F. Baker III (Oxford University Press, 1998). Both famous and overlooked ancient Romans have entries in this work, spanning the years from 396 BCE to 410 CE. -- Nephele

Frankq, what exactly do you mean by a "cast of characters"? Do you mean a listing of contemporaries for any given era? -- Nephele

You're very welcome, LadyJemima. "Nephele" is a Greek name meaning "cloud; mist," and the Nephelae were nymphs of clouds and rain. I tend to pronounce "Seia" as "Say-ah." -- Nephele

Oh, damn, I hope you're feeling better soon, Doc. For myself, I woke up fine this morning. It was our car that had the hangover... er, actually a dead battery. Which meant a late start into the city this morning, as we had to wait for AAA to come give us a jump start. Anyway, feel better. -- Nephele

Welcome to UNRV, Neapolis. You're right, Sallusto is an extremely rare surname in the U.S. Additionally, Kajanto makes no mention of "Sallusto" having been recorded as a Roman cognomen, so it seems likely that the modern-day Italian surname of "Sallusto" may have been derived directly from the nomen gentilicium of "Sallustius." This doesn't necessarily mean that your family is descended from the ancient Roman historian Sallust, though, as the hereditary surnames of European origin with which we are today familiar didn't much exist prior to the 11th century. It could be that a medieval Italian ancestor of yours simply fancied himself to be in some way connected with the Roman Sallust, or this ancestor was a scholar whom others compared to Sallust, and this might be the way in which "Sallusto" eventually became the hereditary name of your family tree. Just another note: In Italy, the Roman historian Sallust is referred to as "Sallustio," so your surname of "Sallusto" is most likely a variant of "Sallustio." Also, the Italian surname of "Sallustio," while still rare in the U.S., appears to be slightly more commonly found than "Sallusto" (although this could also be attributed to spelling errors in census records). If you're doing genealogical research, you may want to explore a possible connection between your family and the Sallustio family. -- Nephele

LadyJemima, you are a member of the Seia gens, which gave birth to both the famous (Marcus Seius, an equestrian who "distinguished himself by his largesses to the people in his curule aedileship") and the infamous (L. Aelius Sejanus, the ambitious manipulator of the emperor Tiberius). Your parents lovingly gave your the nickname/cognomen of "Splendora," meaning "shining; brilliant; splendid," and this is the name by which you are known among your peers. Your full Roman name is: Seia Splendora = iflnsoapaedsr -f +e Welcome to UNRV! -- Nephele

Do you have a honkin' huge headache today? I enjoyed that video. It seemed to me to be a sort of orderly surrealism -- and the apparent contradiction in that makes it even more appealing. -- Nephele

Oooo! *applauds* And, lookee! No desiccated body parts fell off her! Nah, you are definitely NOT as old as the celebrant in "Happy Birthday (My Olde Friend)." You're more like the party chick with the hoola hoop in that video. *Nephele throws some confetti in the air and passes around hoola hoops for all* Wheee! -- Nephele

Neph has already conjured up a gothic klezmer band to celebrate your birthday over on the UNRV board. But I can just as easily bring the band over here. Have another beer, Raise your glass to one more year! Hey! Warmest birthday hails to you, Doc, and joyous expectations for a hard-rockin' 2009! -- Nephele

It's also your birthday today, my dear! Yet another reason to PARTY! I've engaged a gothic klezmer band for the occasion, and Voltaire (the performer, not the philosopher) is here to sing for you: Have another beer, Raise your glass to one more year! Hey! Warmest birthday hails to you, Doc! -- Nephele

Titus Pinarius Natta, you already have a fine Roman name. But here is your hidden Roman name: You are a member of the Maecia gens, a plebeian gens, whose only notable member during the time of the Republic was Sp. Maecius Tarpa, a contemporary of Cicero. By the time of the Empire, however, the Maecii had become much more distinguished. Your cognomen of "Merulicus" indicates that the blackbird has some special significance for your and/or your family. Your praenomen is "Gaius," customarily abbreviated as "C." Your full Roman name is: C. Maecius Merulicus = ERELMICAUGHCMICHH -ghhh +usus Welcome to UNRV! -- Nephele

I ordered my library's copy (brand new) from an American vendor listed on Amazon, for pretty much the cover price that Amazon in the U.S. will be charging in April. In fact, I got several of Caroline Lawrence's Roman Mysteries novels that way before they were released for the U.S. market. I made sure to use the Amazon link provided through this website, so that UNRV got credit for the sale. (Every little bit helps.) That's for any Americans here who can't wait until April for a copy of Gladiatrix. -- Nephele

Ditto congratulations on your nomination, Lanista! I'll bet our Lost Warrior is feeling good about that review she did for your novel! See, LW? You were right! I still have to read Gladiatrix, too. I just did a county-wide library search, and discovered that none of our public libraries in my county (here on Long Island) have your book in their collections. So, I'm ordering a copy today for my own library. We'll be the first! -- Nephele

Here are a couple more Optimist vs. Pessimist quotes in Latin for you. These are taken from Winnie ille Pu (the Latin translation of A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh). I quote from Chapter IV, titled: "Quo in capite Ior caudam amittit et Pu caudam quendam invenit." "In which Eeyore loses a tail and Pooh finds one." (If this were to be updated, I suppose the chapter might be titled: "In which Eeyore loses his job and Pooh goes to Washington to lobby for special funding for unemployed donkeys.") Pooh, the Eternal Optimist: "Ior me," dixit sollemniter, "egomet, Winnie ille Pu, caudam tuam reperiam." "Eeyore," he said solemnly, "I, Winnie-the-Pooh, will find your tail for you." Eeyore, the Eternal Pessimist: "Gratius tibi ago Pu," respondit Ior. "Fidelis amicus es," dixit. "Nonnullis dissimillis," dixit. "Thank you, Pooh," answered Eeyore. "You're a real friend," said he. "Not like Some," he said. As a child, I never really cared for Winnie the Pooh & Co. -- except for Eeyore. Eeyore was the only one of Milne's characters who ever made any sense to me. -- Nephele

What do you win if you get all the answers correct? -- Nephele

I think a wonderful story could be told about the cartographers of ancient Rome. I wonder whether there might have been an ancient Roman equivalent of America's Lewis and Clark, canoeing along rivers throughout the empire and mapping the regions for the emperor back in the city of Rome? Or, did Hadrian take this task upon himself, being the traveller that he was? Perhaps this might make another interesting topic on this board: Mapping the Empire. No, I wasn't too surprised to read that. I presumed the Wall served as an effective deterrent against attacks. I'm sure it was hugely successful. It wasn't the practicality of building the Wall itself that was in question, though, but rather the possible impracticality of having a ditch or moat on the inner side of the Wall, which was eventually filled in. But you answered that question for me, AC: Many thanks for that clarification, AC! -- Nephele

I am slowly turning on a spit over The Fiery Pit of Envy, the flames of "Wish I'd Been There Too!" licking at my smouldering heart. Bro', you had a CHRISTMAS! Wheeee! Sounds like the only thing missing was a mosh pit. -- Sis

Naughty Nephele was relatively well-behaved on Christmas Day , as I spent the day at Radio City Music Hall -- as a spectator, not as a dancing Rockette. -- Nephele

The latest issue (Feb. 2009) of BBC Knowledge magazine has a very entertaining A to Z of ancient Roman life, written by Cambridge Professor of Classics Mary Beard and titled: "What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?" Mary Beard focuses on Pompeii: "It was just another ordinary small town, like so many across the Empire, but it demonstrates how today we still have a lot to thank the Romans for..." Each item in this glossy, 5-page spread is preceded by a letter of the alphabet ("A is for artists at work," "B is for banking," etc., through to "Z is for zoo") and includes color photographs and illustrations as well as a brief explanation of what the Romans gave us. I'm not certain where you can buy this magazine in the States. I get mine through overseas subscription. Here is their website: http://www.bbcknowledgemagazine.com -- Nephele