Nephele

Hey, I was just surprised to discover that y'all have a Hedgehog Preservation Society over there! My man is British and, when I first met his family, his brothers and sisters took us out to a countryside pub near Nottingham (the Anchor in Gunthorpe). There was a lovely, grassy lawn outside the pub, down by the River Trent, and we all had our pints out there. While sitting on the lawn, I was surprised to discover a hedgehog. I was even more surprised to find how easy it was to capture the little fellow. But, when I picked it up to examine it more closely (we don't have hedgehogs wandering freely in New York), my man's siblings all laughed and said that I must tell Mum (when we got back to the house) that I'd picked up a hedgehog. I had no idea what was so funny, and thought my man's Mum would be charmed by my little story of discovering the hedgehog -- and I was rather pleased with myself that I'd managed to "catch" it (not that this was such a difficult task). So, when we got back to the house, I did tell Mum -- proudly -- about my hedgehog encounter. Mum visibly shuddered, and with great restraint ordered me to go have a bath before I could come to dinner. (Which cracked up everyone.) Apparently, some folks over in England (like my man's Mum) are of the opinion that hedgehogs are little more than animated lice-bags. -- Nephele

This bit from the article absolutely cracked me up: Fay Vass, of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, said: 'We are very excited to hear about this find. It shows humans have taken hedgehogs to their hearts for a very long time.' "British Hedgehog Preservation Society"? What the fook? -- Nephele

I haven't much additional information to that already provided, except to offer the Latin term for such a servant who would write letters for his master, and that is: amanuensis. Wikipedia gives a brief history of the development of the term, as well as its modern usage, here. I know you didn't ask about how the message was transcribed and sealed before delivery, but I'll just add that the amanuensis would take his master's dictation in an abbreviated long hand, and later re-write it out more fully before submitting it to the master for approval and sealing. While wax tablets didn't quite correspond to our modern-day envelopes, the tablets could nevertheless be "sealed" for delivery by tying two tablets together with thread (the diptych tied with string, as mentioned above by The Augusta), dripping hot wax over the knotted ends, and then the master would stamp the wax with his signet ring (which, effectively, also served as his personal signature on the message). -- Nephele

A rare Islamic crystal jug mistaken earlier this year for a cheap French claret pitcher... The slim-necked vessel, carved from a single piece of rock crystal and decorated with elaborate engravings of cheetahs, was made for the court of the Cairo-based Fatimid dynasty, which ruled a swath of the Middle East and North Africa between 908 and 1187 A.D. -- Nephele

The idea of making Latin classes engaging for young scholars has probably been in England at least as long -- if not longer -- as in America. Our dear Flavia Gemina (Caroline Lawrence) was an innovative Latin teacher in one of England's schools before becoming an author. -- Nephele

From the article: Ms. Abbott, a former Latin teacher, said that today

Bears are frequently nuisance animals, in that they scavenge too close to human settlements and can often be a menace. Wolves, on the other hand and with few exceptions, generally shy away from human habitations. The Airborne Hunting Act was passed by Congress in 1972 to prohibit shooting or harassing animals from aircraft -- but Palin has exploited a loophole in the law to once again permit the otherwise illegal and cruel practice of aerial sport hunting in Alaska. In aerial sport hunting, wolves are chased by airplane to the point of exhaustion. Hunters spray shoot them with buckshot so that loss of blood contributes to the hunted wolf's exhaustion, pain, and eventual collapse. Then the plane lands and the hunter is able to approach the animal with ease and finish it off. Not only does the sport hunter take home a trophy kill, but Palin also awards the hunter with a $150 bounty on the left foreleg of every wolf killed. California State Congressman George Miller recently introduced a new bill to stop the airborne hunting of wolves in Alaska (read about it here) which has gained support throughout the nation -- including support from Alaskan residents who oppose the cruelty of airborne sport hunting of wolves. In August of this year, more than 70,000 Alaskans voted for a third time to stop private aerial hunting of wolves and bears, and to limit any such need for destroying nuisance animals to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game personnel only. -- Nephele

Marcus Aurelius' sayings were so guru-like, he could've been a hippie. So, of course, I had to anagram a hippie name for him... But while playing around with his name, I discovered that his name anagrams into a great (though non-existent) genus and species of evergreen shrub: Marcus Aurelius = Laurus americus Now, we just need to get some smart botanist to discover or develop a new species of laurel in the Americas, and name it Laurus americus, and that would be a perfect tribute to Marcus Aurelius. Especially since the laurel symbolizes victory. -- Nephele

I'm already planning on reviewing that one. But I've got my review copy coming from the publisher (hopefully, as they did promise). If not, I'm using you, Viggen, as back-up! -- Nephele

MPC, your question had just the right touch of dangerously crazed sincerity in it, so of course I had to ask it of the ballista sellers. And, what do you know... They answered me! Q: Hi. Does one need a background check to purchase siege weaponry? 04-Oct-08 A: I couldn

Everyone knows the world was created when the Egyptian god Atum got lonely and masturbated on himself. This is what we should be teaching to our kids, it would lead to better morals. Right on! Especially since Sarah Palin is so opposed to our public schools' Health Education classes teaching about birth control and use of condoms. Palin ought to approve of school-promoted masturbation, then, as a form of abstinence from sexual partnering. (Regardless, I think the proposal might make her ill...) -- Nephele

Ditto on the thanks for the article! The statues were found only 8 feet underwater? It always amazes me how artifacts that are well over a thousand years old are still be found today in what appears to be easy places to go searching. At least, I'm assuming that a depth of only 8 feet of water shouldn't have been too difficult for someone with the will and a sponge-diver's pair of lungs to search, in well over 1,000 (close to 2,000) years. I wonder how the depth of the water may have changed in all this time? -- Nephele

omg, too funneh! Saturday Night Live's latest Palin skit: SNL:"Katie Couric" interviews "Sarah Palin" Couric: "Did you enjoy your week in New York City?" Palin: "Todd and the kids had a great time going to the Central Park and the F.A.O. Schwarz, and that goofy evolution museum. Also, in an effort to bone up on foreign policy, I went to the Times Square area to see a film called The Bush Doctrine. It was not about politics..." -- Nephele

From the eBay UK site: "We will undertake the essential repairs needed so that the ballista will again be a formidable, full-size and accurate recreation of an early war machine

Wow! I should think that man has nightmares as much as his dog does, after that. I know I would. Sweet dog -- looks like a rat terrier. In fact, he looks a lot like my own little dogs (miniature pinschers). I think if a shark tried to eat one of my little dogs, I wouldn't hesitate about kicking some shark ass, too. -- Nephele

Aha! Are you referring to Marcus Iunius Brutus' sometime use of his adoptive name "Quintus Caepio Brutus" instead of the expected "Quintus Servilius Caepio Iunianus"? Yes, I suppose Brutus was a leader in flouting convention! Stabbing Caesar only added to his street cred. -- Nephele

I think you're right -- the general population did tend to emulate the naming practices of the rulership, who were essentially the trend-setters of their time. And this contributed to the changes in naming practices during the time of the Principate. -- Nephele

Hmm. This may have been more to do with the Imperial family name, Ingsoc, rather than the general norm. Tiberius is perhaps not a good example. Compare Sejanus, who, as the son of Seius Strabo, and adopted by a man named Aelius, still retained his 'Sejanus' - by which history itself knows him. You're right, Augusta, that the Imperial family frequently marched to their own drummer when it came to bestowing names upon their members. But the traditional appearance of names was changing for everyone by the time of the Principate, and this sometimes included adoptive cognomina. For example, when Publius Caecilius Secundus (son of Lucius Caecilius Cilo and Plinia), was adopted by his maternal uncle, Gaius Plinius Secundus (through a testamentary adoption in 79 CE), rather than becoming known as Gaius Plinius Secundus Caecilianus (as might have been traditionally expected), he assumed the formal name of Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus. Granted, as in your Sejanus example, he still retained his birth father

I'm currently reading Death in Ancient Rome, by Catherine Edwards (professor of classics and ancient history at Birkbeck College, University of London), and I came across the following passage which I found intriguing and thought I'd share here: "Self-consciousness about one's own role is also a preoccupation in plays of the early empire -- plays written by the philosopher Seneca. A number of characters, in discussing their own behaviour, repeatedly draw attention to their names... Such self-consciousness regarding one's name was not confined to the stage. In Roman political life, one could not escape the destiny of one's own name. A particular name might in itself provoke a desire for external fame. Several ancient authors comment on the pressure put on Marcus Brutus to take action against Julius Caesar, stemming, in part at least, from the name he bore. According to Plutarch, messages appeared on the base of a statue of Lucius Brutus, scourge of the Tarquins, 'If only Brutus were alive' and also on the praetor's tribunal in the Forum (when Marcus Brutus occupied that office): 'Brutus, are you sleeping?' and 'You are not really Brutus' (Brutus 9.3). His own name obliged Marcus Brutus to follow his famous ancestor and act against tyranny. What did it mean to be called Cato? The moral severity of the Elder Cato was a demanding model to follow. One might read the Younger Cato's choices in life as partially determined by the name he shared with his great-grandfather. The Younger Cato so closely associated himself with the ancient Roman republic that he felt obliged to take his own life when he realised tyranny would prevail. Once Caesar's victory was inevitable, Cato's only course of action was to kill himself." Comments? Can anyone come up with additional examples of ancient Romans whose names were, in essence, a sign of their inescapable destiny? -- Nephele

I pretty much expressed my views in this posting. It's not so much the televised debates that impress me, but rather the candidates' record and views on matters pertaining to science that gets my attention. The more superstitious or supportive of the Religious Right that they are, the less I care for them. Folks who talk to invisible friends are not folks I care to have making decisions that will affect my future. Not saying folks shouldn't have invisible friends if they want them, just saying I don't want their invisible friends running my life. And, like you, I'm not at all comfortable with Sarah "Pray to Protect Me From Witches" Palin. -- Nephele

May I apologise with suitable grovelling-at-feet to you, Scipio, for my less than helpful post a few weeks ago! The day-to-day troubles of women of a certain age often take us unawares. Thirty years of discussing the Julio-Claudians has tipped me over the edge, I think. I'm usually such a 'nice' gal - as most of our members would tell you - so ignore me and extend to me your forgiveness. But as to your question about Germanicus' death, I am with Maty and others - I really cannot accept that he was murdered, and there are several older threads where you will find useful discussions on the topic. Pax, Amice! Welcome back, Augusta! Your coolness has tipped the cool scale. -- Nephele

WaMu becomes biggest bank to fail in US history Isn't that your bank, Magistra? Huh, serves them right for not returning your camera to you. -- Nephele

Neos D, are you familiar with WorldCat? I did a search on "Galla Placidia" and turned up several books for you: http://www.worldcat.org/search?qt=worldcat...amp;fq=dt%3Abks Through WorldCat you should also be able to determine whether any public or university libraries near you have these books in their collections. Better still, go to your own public library and ask the librarian to interloan these books from other libraries for you. -- Nephele

You're welcome -- and thank you! I'm interested in your Roman horror novel, too. -- Nephele

LJV, here's an old thread (from 2006) that may interest you: The Legend Of Vampires, ever existed in Roman history? -- Nephele