Nephele

No, not the UNRV Moderator -- I mean the name. Having been afflicted with insomnia these past couple of evenings, I thought I'd pass some time in compiling this little offering, inspired by the screen name of our own Ursus. In the consular fasti (of the Empire), Ursus is found as a cognomen of the Iulia gens. This cognomen was also found in the Cornelia gens (though not among any Cornelian magistrates of the Republic), as Pliny the Younger addressed several of his letters to his friend, Cornelius Ursus. Of all the Latin cognomina derived from the names of animals, Ursus (meaning "bear") was among the most common, along with Aper ("wild boar"), Aquila ("eagle"), Capreolus ("roebuck"), Leo ("lion"), Taurus ("bull"), and Vitulus ("bull calf"). Of these, Ursus and Leo were the two most frequently found cognomina in Christian documents, popular with Christians (and pagans, too) because these names suggested strength and valor. The following list of variants of the cognomen Ursus has been compiled from The Latin Cognomina, which the author Kajanto researched from "all available collections of inscriptions as well as the literary documents of antiquity down to approx. 600 A.D." I have taken this information and worked out the statistical comparisons for the purpose of the following listing: Ursus/Ursa The most commonly found form of this name, representing slightly more than a third of all recorded Romans to have borne some form of the name Ursus. This is also the only form of the name which appears to have been borne by members of the senatorial class. Ursulus/Ursula Ursinus/Ursina Ursio These cognomina, listed in order of frequency, represent between 20 and 10 percent of all recorded Romans who bore some form of the name Ursus. Ursicinus/Ursicina Ursacius/Ursacia Ursilla Ursianus Ursinianus These cognomina, listed in order of frequency, represent between 5 and 1 percent of all recorded Romans who bore some form of the name Ursus. Ursenius/Ursenia Ursatius Ursicius Ursico Ursiclus, Ursiculus Ursilianus Ursinia Ursella Ursulianus These cognomina represent less than 1 percent of those who bore some form of the name Ursus. Ursenius/Ursenia also appears as a rare nomen gentilicium. Ursico has a Celtic suffix. The Latin name Ursus has evolved into various modern-day forms of given names, including Orson (English, via the Norman French word ors, via the Latin word ursus), Orsino and Orso (Italian), and Urs (German). The name of Ursula ranked in the 630th place among frequently occurring girls' names in the 1990 U.S. Federal Census. Numerous Italian surnames are derived from the Latin Ursus, most notable among these being Orsini, the name of a powerful Italian family which produced three popes (Celestine III, Nicholas III, and Benedict XIII) and who traced their lineage back to a 10th century Ursus de Baro of Rome. If anyone here has additional trivia regarding the Latin cognomen of Ursus, please feel free to add. -- Nephele

Despite all the background information about ancient Roman culture that you may accumulate, good characterizations will be essential to your story. You'll have to be consistent in your portrayal of your characters. So, if the father in your story is an authoritative and unyieldingly traditional pater familias, it will not be believable if he overly indulges his daughter in her whims regarding love and marriage. Unless, of course, you can show in your story how the father gradually changes his attitudes about tradition, and the effect this has on both the father and his daughter. Sholem Aleichem was a wonderful storyteller who did precisely this with his collected stories of Tevye's Daughters. Anyway, good luck with your story! -- Nephele

Well, "Tacitus" is a cognomen most readily recognized as belonging to the historian who was a member of the Cornelii, but that doesn't mean your girl's parents couldn't call their daughter "Tacita." They'd have to have a reason for calling her that, though, and the name signifies someone with a reserved nature, not inclined towards much talking. If your girl is outspoken and bubbly, then it would seem odd that her parents might have named her "Tacita." Really, the name "Caecilia Tertia" would be the most likely for her, as the third-born daughter of her father Caecilius. Glad to have been of some help. Feel free to ask anyone on this board for help, but I'm also happy to be of any assistance. -- Nephele

Hot stuff! -- Nephele

I might be wrong, but I seem to remember that one young lady was treated badly by her father for refusal to consider marriage? Perhaps I'm once again too far into Rome's later days, as my reference comes from the Digesta Iustiniani (50.17.30) which stated that a marriage couldn't be legal without the consent of both parties (consensus facit nuptias). But then, the entry on Roman marriage in Seyffert's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities states: "It was originally the parent's business to arrange the marriage of the children, but the consent both of son and daughter was absolutely necessary." Which leads me to believe that the law in the Digesta Iustiniani was reflective of earlier sentiment on this issue. However, it's entirely conceivable that a father would give a recalcitrant daughter a difficult time. But it seems to me that a Roman father, in forcing his daughter into marriage this way, would effectively be lowering her status to that of a slave concubine. Can you dig up your reference, Caldrail? -- Nephele

Audrey Hepburn--after "The Nun's Story," it's typecasting. The Nun's Story was my inspiration! But Audrey (one of the greatest) is dead. x_x Do we have any actresses today like her? I can't think of a single one. -- Nephele

If I were making a Roman epic, I'd go for pure sensationalism, because that's where the money is. The Vestal's Story (2008) Just picture the coming attractions. The following blurb flashes up on the movie screen: At the age of seven her parents sent her to serve the goddess -- and spend the next thirty years of her life as a virgin! Cut to scene of a frightened little girl, looking up at the Pontifex Maximus as he intones: "I take you to be Amata..." Another blurb flashes on the screen: Breaking her vow of chastity would have fatal consequences -- but she was willing to risk it all for love! Cut to scene of a teenage girl in Roman dress, shyly smiling at a young Roman noble seated at the chariot races near the box reserved for the Vestals. The young Roman noble smiles back, raising his eyebrows in interest. The Chief Vestal notices, and frowns with worry. Next blurb flashes: The most gripping and dramatic personal story of this decade, resurrected from the ashes of ancient Rome! Cut to scene of the young Roman noble screaming as he's whipped to death; another scene of the young Vestal screaming and weeping and pounding her fists on the locked door from within a burial chamber: "Let me out!! Let me out!! I WANT TO LIVE!!!" Box-office bonanza. Casting ideas, anybody? -- Nephele

Ah, that does sound more likely, now that I think about it. I'll check into it. -- Nephele Okay, it's been driving me crazy trying to figure out from where I'd gotten that idea that Roman women had the right to choose their own husbands after attaining the age of 25. I couldn't find my original source, but I did find this Google Books preview. From Marriage in Roman Law and Society, by Judith Evans Grubbs: "As emancipation of grown children increased, the significance of emancipation in its classical sense (as a release from paternal power) decreased. The rule that a woman needed her father's consent to marry persisted, but now the view was that paternal consent was essential for all women below twenty-five, whether or not they were emancipated. On the other hand, women over twenty-five, even if still under patria potestas, may no longer have needed their father's permission to marry (Beaucamp [Joelle?] 1990, 246-50)." If Roman women (of the Empire) were ever permitted this right, though, then it would have to have been much, much later after the time period in which Denia has set her story. So you were right, PP, regarding Augustus' law -- and not surprisingly, considering all the research you've done into Roman law. -- Nephele

Dat's me, class all ovah. *Nephele lobs a loogie at GPM* -- Nephele

Ah, that does sound more likely, now that I think about it. I'll check into it. -- Nephele

In which case her name would most obviously be "Caecilia." I don't think there's much evidence of early Roman Christians ever being in the habit of changing their Latin names to Hebrew names. The Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum lists many Christians with Latin names and, when they did change their names, it would generally be to something of a theophoric variety (such as Deigratia or Deogratia, meaning "god's grace," or Deodata, meaning "god-given), or to something representing Christian virtues. But, really, it wasn't until a few centuries after the time period in which you've set your story, that the Christians began adopting names for themselves from holy scripture and martyred saints. Besides all of this, your character wouldn't really want to attract attention to her Christian beliefs, by going around telling people that she's adopted a "Christian" name, would she? Yes, a plebeian could be elected to the office of aedilis. I believe that, by the time period in which you've set your story, there were no class restrictions on any of the magisterial offices. But there are others here who perhaps can answer that better than I. -- Nephele

Well, if your girl is under the age of 25, then it won't matter whether the young man of her affections asks her. Because the choice of a husband would still be up to the girl's father. And should the father pass, she would still be theoretically at the behest of the next patriarch of the family. It may be a brother, an uncle, a cousin, or what have you, but she still would not necessarily be free to make her own decision. Of course, that doesn't mean there weren't exceptions, only that this was the standard methodology. I'll have to find my reference, but I was pretty sure that I'd read somewhere that, by this time in Roman history, a Roman woman would have obtained sui iuris by the age of 25. I could be wrong, though. -- Nephele

Well, if your girl is under the age of 25, then it won't matter whether the young man of her affections asks her. Because the choice of a husband would still be up to the girl's father. 14 or 15 probably was closer to the normal age -- it's just that a Roman girl could be married as young as 12. Cicero's daughter, Tullia, was married at the age of 13. -- Nephele

They taunted the enemy to death, of course: "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!" Oh, wait... Those were the Knights of Camelot. Sorry. -- Nephele

At the baths, everybody gossiped -- male and female alike. (Just as in our own "Baths" here on this message board.) Thanks for the reminder of something else that Denia's character might do with her time: Visit the baths. Or perhaps the girl needs to be less choosy, as Roman parents didn't force marriage upon unwilling daughters (although the governing body of Rome might impose fines on those reluctant to marry). -- Nephele

Yah, you wouldn't know whether some perve might've just wandered into the theater and was now sitting in the shadows behind you, about to shoot spunk on the back of your head. (There's a nice Valentine's Day mental image for your dreams nightmares.) -- Nephele

Taking delight in one's own company is a treat that many in our society never get the opportunity to experience, because of the social pressures of being "popular," or of being "a couple." Seneca would have truly appreciated you, DoL. For he said: "The primary sign of a well-ordered mind is one's ability to remain in one place and linger in one's own company." And, I truly appreciate you, too. -- Nephele

Yes, I mentioned having seen Cloverfield in the first page of this topic. The producers were aware of the possibility of folks calling it a Godzilla rip-off, hence the bit of deliberate irony in the movie, that I noted in my earlier posting. The movie actually has a few darkly humorous little bits in it, which might go unnoticed amidst all the destruction and mayhem. -- Nephele

Denia, you are a descendant of the Roman senator, Marcus Eppius, who took Pompey's side in the civil war of 49 BCE and who was later pardoned by Caesar. Your feminine cognomen of "Geniana" is derived from the Latin word genius, meaning a guardian spirit (and sometimes referring to a spirit of enjoyment, one's taste, inclination, etc.). Your father affectionately named you thus. Your full Roman name is: Eppia Geniana = dieknenpepig -dek +aaa Welcome to UNRV! -- Nephele

This poor girl is practically a spinster, to be 18 and not yet married. While boys might marry at a later age, girls were considered marriageable by the age of 12. (But I suspect you already knew this, as you have all of this girl's friends already married off.) As an unmarried woman, even at the adult age of 18, your character most likely would have been kept under the strict control of her family to avoid scandal, with the daughter unable even to appear in public on her own. She should be able to visit her married female friends, though, who themselves should be able to devote some time to their unmarried friend, despite their having to supervise household servants along with the other duties that go with being a Roman matron and running the domus. If your character is of a noble family, she might spend her days at home with a private tutor who would teach her poetry (but not the poetry of that scandalous Ovid!). She might also study the use of a musical instrument, and some dance -- not for the purpose of public performance, but rather for her own deportment. Dance -- of the calm, stately variety in particular -- would be taught so as to improve her carriage and movement. She might even occupy herself with weaving, embroidery, and other arts of that nature. As well as study her mother's management of the household as a Roman matron. As for games, there are a couple of board games that were known to the Romans that your character might play with her friends. One, called Duodecim Scripta, was played with dice and was similar to our modern day game of backgammon. Another very popular game was called Latrunculi ("Robbers"), and this was like our modern day games of checkers and chess. -- Nephele

Hi, Denia. Yes, I think you may want to change some of those names in your story, although by the 1st century CE there certainly was more variety to be found in praenomina (certainly more than seventeen praenomina in use). That said, I doubt that you could get away with "Arrius" as a character's praenomen, as this was a gens name (nomen gentilicium). "Herius" is about the closest-sounding recorded praenomen that I could find. However, you might be able to get away with "Arius" (drop one of the "r's" from the name) by explaining in your story that young Arius had been born abroad, in that region of eastern Persia known as "Aria," and so Arius' father had decided to break with tradition and give his son the unconventional praenomen of "Arius" to commemorate the first member of the family to have been born outside of Italy. His full Roman name would be Arius Caecilius Severus. It's a stretch, but if you're really attached to that name, this is the best I could think of. Your character's family would have to be plebeian, as there were no patrician Caecilii. The name of the father (Gaius Caecilius Severus) is fine. "Metella" is fine for the name of his wife -- this would be a feminine cognomen by which she could easily be known. In fact, she might even have been a cousin of Serverus', as "Metellus" was a cognomen in use by the Caecilii. If you make her a cousin (in which case her full name would be "Caecilia Metella"), she would have come from a more distinguished branch of the Caecilii than that of her husband's, as the Caecilii Metelli were the ones who produced a number of consuls. "Lucius" is fine for the other son (Lucius Caecilius Severus). But, yes, the name "Tirza" is completely wrong for the daughter. I don't even think you could get away with explaining that the parents chose this name after traveling abroad (as you might do with the other son's odd praenomen). This is because her full name would be "Caecilia Tirza" and this really looks too much like the name of a Jewish freedwoman. You could do it anyway, if the point of the story is to create social problems for this character due to her unconventional name, but it really would be a stretch. However, you could name her "Tertia" (she'd be the third daughter born in the family) and perhaps the daughter herself might rebelliously insist on calling herself "Tirza," a similar-sounding and more appealingly exotic name to her? Also, bear in mind that only members of the immediate family (and perhaps a few very close friends) would most likely address the father and sons by their praenomina of "Gaius," "Arius," and "Lucius." -- Nephele

How about a funny dead puppy story? The year is 168 BCE. Little Aemilia Tertia, daughter of the consul Lucius Aemilius Paulus, is distraught. Her father enters the family atrium and asks what's the matter. Little Aemilia Tertia bawls: "Perseus is DEAD!" She points to her puppy, who's lying on his back with his feet in the air. His eyes are: x x Daddy is preoccupied with his thoughts, for the Senate has just appointed him as the general to lead the Roman army against King Perseus of Macedonia. But it gradually dawns on Daddy that the puppy has the same name as Rome's enemy. He looks down at the dead puppy. "The puppy's name was Perseus?" he asks. "Now, that's what I call a good omen!" Little Aemilia Tertia goes "Waaaaaaah!" Okay, it was probably funnier when Plutarch told it. Which, of course, inspired Plutarch's list of "101 Uses for a Dead Puppy." That Plutarch, what a joker. -- Nephele

Oh yes, especially because those who don't make it have to be put into the volcano (cheap plastic volcano thing provided in the game). You make the little people SCREAM as you put them into the volcano? That's like sacrificing them to the Hawaiian volcano goddess, Pele. Game bonus! -- Nephele

What fun! I just checked it out, and I'm going to order one for myself. Hey, PP, do you make the little people SCREAM as they scramble for the city gate? Because, I couldn't resist doing that. -- Nephele

Domitianus3, you are a member of the Horatii, a proud and ancient patrician family which produced the legendary Horatius who was known for single-handedly defending a bridge against early Rome's Etruscan enemies. Your cognomen of "Honestianus" is not an adoptive cognomen, despite the -ianus ending. It's merely an elaborate form of "Honestus," defining your branch of the Horatii as being honorable and honest. Your praenomen is "Gaius," which is more commonly abbreviated with a "C.", but because you are fond of innovation, you've taken to using that new letter "G." to abbreviate your praenomen. Your full Roman name is: G. Horatius Honestianus = gnwreoahoatthuhhjins -jwhh +iuss Welcome to UNRV! -- Nephele