Nephele

It's not just "the average American" who often fails to grasp satire. Regardless of where you live, think of one person you know whom you would describe as being "of average intelligence." Then realize that 50% of everyone else is dumber than that. -- Nephele I completely disagree. Americans are a lot smarter than most people assume. People do get satire; the issue with the New Yorker cover was that it was designed to provoke and infuriate. Every issue regarding the magazine cover strikes me as ridiculous and overblown--it is, after all, a magazine cover; and a funny one at that--but to suggest that people 'don't get it' is too condescending, I think. Remember, Fox executives thought Borat was too sophisticated for average Americans, and so they only released it in 800 theaters. It went on to own the weekend, and make over 150 million dollars. The furor over the New Yorker cover is strictly political, nothing more, nothing less. To say that people aren't sophisticated enough is off-target, I think. After all, it's the liberals and the democrats who are pissed off over the cover, and they constantly ridicule the right and conservatives, whom they portray as Nascar-loving troglodytes. Now that the tables have been turned, and fingers are pointed back at them, their natural inclination is to blow up and to not take kindly to something of this nature

It's not just "the average American" who often fails to grasp satire. Regardless of where you live, think of one person you know whom you would describe as being "of average intelligence." Then realize that 50% of everyone else is dumber than that. -- Nephele

Hi, Zanatos. Getting here is only half of it. You now have to provide me with a scramble of your name, which I will anagram into your "Hidden Roman Name." Minerva, you're very welcome -- glad you enjoyed! -- Nephele

Or you could make one! Here are a couple of links to bulla crafts for you. (The second one -- the sewn pouch version -- is the one the kids in my public library made when we had Roman Mysteries Day last summer.) http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210200/an..._rome/bulla.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/romans/activities/bulla.html -- Nephele

Yay! Scoring well on the AP exam sounds like sweet validation of your interest in Roman history. -- Nephele

Well, thank you, Ascelpiades. Actually, LJV (formerly known as Julian the Faithful) and I had a conversation in PM a couple of months ago, when he first told me the name he was planning on giving his soon-to-be-born son. I remember LJV thought he'd made up the name "Caedicius" -- until I told him it was an actual nomen gentilicium. LJV, I think you must have had that name in your subconscious and forgotten that you'd heard it somewhere before. And, I think "Caed" is a great nick for a boy! -- Nephele

Congratulations, LJV, to you and your lady on the birth of your son! May little "Caed" grow up with many rich Roman traditions in your familia! Little Caed will require a bulla, of course. I'm assuming that you and your lady are freeborn, and if you're somewhat well-off, then a gold bulla will be most acceptable -- which is a sort of lucky locket that can contain a protective amulet for little Caed. But I would wait until he's a little bit older, first, or at least devise a bulla that doesn't go around baby's neck and is too big for baby to swallow. May your household gods smile on your domus, in delight of your new addition! -- Nephele

Thank you, Maty and Asclepiades, for your enlightening posts! I was particularly interested in your comments on the names to be found in the myth and play. Interesting connection! Although I'm not sure that the Greek name of "Semele" is actually related to the Latin word semen. At least, that's the etymology I'm assuming -- perhaps incorrectly -- that you meant. I'm not too familiar with Greek -- is there a Greek word meaing "seed" that is similar to "Semele"? Digressing further on the subject of names in the play, Euripides has Dionysus at one point in the play comment on the meaning of the name of King Pentheus -- that meaning being "sorrow", with Dionysus musing on how aptly Pentheus has been named, considering what is about to happen to him. I can't help but note the connection between the name of Cadmus and the Hebrew name of "Kedem" (spelled qof-dalet-mem), and also meaning "from the east". -- Nephele

But a cartoon still can sparkle rage and debate http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/15/america/15humor.php That cartoon was put up by Ob's own side to innoculate the candidate, so your interpretation seems to be "right" on. They likely took their cue from Ob, when he said in a public appearance that the Mc's side would point out that he "looks Muslim, and by the way...."he's black". If the other side doesn't act as they are expected to act in a timely fashion, don't lose hope, it can be imputed. Faustus Indeed, Faustus. Quoted from the article: The cover was drawn by Barry Blitt, who also contributes illustrations to The New York Times's Op-Ed page. David Remnick, the editor of The New Yorker, said in an e-mail message, "The cover takes a lot of distortions, lies, and misconceptions about the Obamas and puts a mirror up to them to show them for what they are. "It's a lot like the spirit of what Stephen Colbert does

This afternoon I went to see The Bacchae, brilliantly performed in NYC's Rose Theater by the National Theatre of Scotland. While this version of Euripides' play had many entertaining modern touches -- Cadmus and Tiresias first appear as a pair of elderly (and somewhat inebriated) dapper gentlemen in tailored suits with tastefully Bacchic-garlanded top hats, and the Maenads are a hard-rocking chorus of soul sisters -- the book didn't deviate much from the William Arrowsmith translation with which I was already familiar. Indeed, the specially commissioned book upon which this production had been based had been literally translated by classics professor Ian Ruffell. The play brought some questions to mind, that I presume can be answered here by our mythology buffs. So, here goes... In the play, Dionysus is repeatedly referred to as a "new god". In fact, even though his mortal mother was a princess of Thebes (where the action of the play takes place, on Dionysus' return to the city of his birth), references are made to his being a "foreign" god because he has been away in "the East" for many years, building up his cult. Dionysus is credited with being the inventor of wine, so... Questions #1: Does all this imply that wine-making was an activity imported by the Greeks from what they perceived as the decadent East? That the Greeks had established agriculture for a long period before they discovered (or imported) the art of wine-making? TIRESIAS: First of these is the goddess Demeter, or Earth-- whichever name you choose to call her by. It was she who gave to man his nourishment of grain. But after her there came the son of Semele, who matched her present by inventing liquid wine as his gift to man. For filled with that good gift, suffering mankind forgets its grief; from it comes sleep; with it oblivion of the troubles of the day. There is no other medicine for misery. Question #2: Dionysus is portrayed in Euripides' play (including this version I saw today with the aptly-cast Alan Cumming in the role), as being quite androgynous (or bisexual). Did the ancient Greeks perceive this androgyny (or bisexuality) of the wine-god as tying in with the recognized effects of wine as being a releaser of inhibitions? -- Nephele

Through the magic of The Anagram, I shall make you an heir of the wealthy. Your first and last names anagram into the name: Crichton Hasting Sapir This makes you an heir of Tamir Sapir, deemed by Forbes Magazine to be the 785th in ranking world's wealthiest person. His net worth is 1.5 billion dollars. Your adoptive daddy big bucks is a Russian emigre and former cabdriver who is now a United States citizen residing in New York City, having made his first fortune bartering fertilizer and oil with the Soviets in the 1980s. He reinvested his money in real estate, and today owns seven office buildings in Manhattan. Because his name is anagrammatically linked with yours, Tamir Sapir is your inspiration and spiritual daddy big bucks. (If anyone else wants to know who is their daddy big bucks, just let me know, and I shall work the magic of The Anagram for you.) -- Nephele

Oh you guys. Y'all kill me. lol -- Nephele

Hehe Neph, it's about time these jokes were laid to rest! Tomb much of a good thing? -- Nephele

Apparently, tomb-robbing can result in grave consequences. Here's the news link, from China Daily: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2008-06/...ent_6783430.htm -- Nephele

Well, I hope you have better luck with the next fish. I'm sure you did everything you could for the little guy. -- Nephele

When you changed the water, did you use bottled water or tap water? It may be that chlorinated tap water is bad for your fish, because I know that it's bad for turtles. I'm using bottled water for my turtles, and it's not really expensive. I get the plastic jugs from the supermarket (it would be nuts to use fancy name brand bottled water). I'll probably get a larger tank with a filter this winter, and then I won't have to be continually changing the turtles' water. -- Nephele

Salve, Lady N. Wow. Quite cleaver observation. Why, thank you, Asclepiades! The Code of the Nesilim was something I was not familiar with, until you provided those excerpts here. However, the Torah is something with which I'm very familiar. I was astounded when I noticed the similarity between the two, and it confirmed my already long-held conviction that Moses did not acquire his laws from god. -- Nephele

My inferences are 1) This was a society where sexual deviations and misconduct was rampant. 2) This was a society seriously incapable of logical thought. There is nevertheless a backward logic to be found in the above-quoted passage. The logic of the ancient world being that a woman in her own home and within earshot of family and servants would be expected to cry out for help if being raped -- and would remain silent if having an adulterous affair. I couldn't help but be struck by the similarity between the above-quoted passage from The Code of the Nesilim, and the laws of Moses in the Torah which clearly must have been influenced by the laws of the Hittites. If there be a damsel that is a virgin betrothed unto a man, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die: the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife; so thou shalt put away the evil from the midst of thee. But if the man find the damsel that is betrothed in the field, and the man take hold of her, and lie with her; then the man only that lay with her shall die. -- Deuteronomy 22:23-25 In answer to the question posed in this topic... like Sonic, I'd like to learn more about the ancient Chinese, as well. I'm presently reading the memoirs of Jung Chang: Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, which includes a lot of fascinating information on China's ancient history as well as more recent history. For example, the practice of women's foot-binding for the sake of eroticism at the expense of such agony is astounding that it continued as a fashion for a period of 1,000 years. (The author's grandmother was one of the last to have suffered from this traditional practice.) -- Nephele

Aw. -- Nephele

I have consulted the Oracle of the Anagram to see how you shall fare in this endeavor of yours. Your first, middle and last names anagram into the following: Arnst High-Priest Jac-of-Coins Arnst is a Germanic name, meaning "seriousness of purpose; earnestness". The High Priest (also known as The Hierophant) is the 5th card of the Major Arcana of the Tarot, and represents authority and traditional education, as well as "the man of high social standing

I believe it's pronounced pretty much the way it appears: lah-zeh-ree-an. Not sure where the accent is placed, although on the second syllable seems about right. -- Nephele

I've found a masculine form of Laiseriona for you: Lasairian (alternately, Laserian). This was the name of a 7th century Irish missionary who was made a saint by the Catholic Church. -- Nephele

"Dionysus arrives at Thebes to claim godly recognition from a disbelieving, ascetic King Pentheus, opening the door to a sardonic, contemporary look at the battle between hedonism and repression." -- Adam Hetrick, Playbill A veteran stage actor in the U.K. with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and the National Theatre of Scotland, Alan Cumming returns to New York City this summer reprising his role as the hedonist god Dionysus in David Greig's modern interpretation of Euripides' The Bacchae, a National Theatre of Scotland production which premiered at the Edinburgh International Festival last year. Most Americans may recognize Alan Cumming as the actor who played the quirky character of Glitch the Scarecrow in last winter's three-part sci-fi/fantasy television series, Tin Man. While Cumming has appeared in numerous other motion pictures over the years, to New Yorkers he is fondly remembered for his stage role as the Master of Ceremonies in the recent revival of Cabaret (for which Cumming won the 1998 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical), as well as for his more recent Broadway stage role as Macheath in the 2006 revival of the Bertolt Brecht-Kurt Weill The Threepenny Opera. Director of The Bacchae, John Tiffany, studied classics at university and had wanted to direct The Bacchae for 20 years. In a June 24th interview for The Village Voice, Tiffany described the play as being about "glamour, and a kind of sexy worship." He commissioned classics professor Ian Ruffell to provide a literal translation of Euripides' play, and one of Scotland's leading playwrights, David Greig, to adapt it. There will be 13 performances at New York City's Rose Theater (located at 33 West 60th Street), July 2nd through July 13th, as part of the Lincoln Center Festival '08. (Click on link for ticket information. I've already got my ticket.) -- Nephele