ASCLEPIADES

1/3 percent? That's still another figure--not at all consistent with the previous two. Keep reading the same book (ibid, cp. VII): sed ad populi quoque gratiam conciliandam amici Manlii ualuerunt; quibus adnitentibus senatus consultum factum est, ut ex pecunia quae in triumpho translata esset, stipendium collatum a populo in publicum, quod eius solutum antea non esset, solueretur. uicenos quinos et semisses in milia aeris quaestores urbani cum fide et cura soluerunt. "But the friends of Manlius succeeded in winning the favour of the people also; by their efforts a resolution was passed in the senate ordering that so much of the soldiers' stipends contributed by the people as had not yet been paid should be paid out of the money borne in the triumphal procession. The quaestors, making a true and just valuation, paid back 25 1/2 for every 1000 ases."

Not me, MPC, sorry. I was only trying to answer Lady N question: QUOTE:"But, seriously, I'd like to know, too: What evidence is there to support the apparently widely held belief that monasteries promoted education in the classics?" Erasmus is some centuries away of this period too. Anyhow, if you really care about monastical classical transcription during this period, John of Damascus ought to be the obvious first choice for your search. I fear there are not many more examples I can think about, as document destruction (of any kind) was an oustanding characteristic of the Iconoclastic conflicts. BTW, Cassiodorus De Musica (my link) has a lot on classical references, but not on Josephus, as far as I remember.

Salve, Amici This Solidus, struck in 692-95, shows Justinian II "pre"-Rhinotmetus, last of the Heracleans, in the reverse, with the legend, "The servant of Christ." The "Greek-type" Christ (long hair) in its anverse was the first time a sacred image (icon) appeared on an Imperial coin, being that the main excuse for Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan to forbade it from the Caliph and to introduce the first muslim currency (without sacred images), and also to declare war on the Empire. This was presumably one of triggers for the edict of Justinian's successor (and deposer) Leo III the Isaurian that eventually gave place to the century-long Iconoclastic conflicts

Salve, MPC. Re-checking my last post:

Salve, Lady N. Here come some extracts from the english Wikipedia article on Scriptorium: Of Cassiodorus at Vivarium The monastery built in the second quarter of the 6th century under the eye of Cassiodorus at Vivarium in southern Italy contained a purpose-built scriptorium, because he was consciously attempting to collect, copy, and preserve texts. Cassiodorus' description of his monastery contained a purpose-built scriptorium, with self-feeding oil lamps, a sundial, and a water-clock. The scriptorium would also have contained desks for the monks to sit at and copy texts, as well as the necessary ink wells, penknives, and quills. Cassiodorus also established a library where, at the end of the Roman Empire, he attempted to bring Greek learning to Latin readers and preserve texts both sacred and secular for future generations. As its unofficial librarian, Cassiodorus collected as many manuscripts as he could, he also wrote treatises aimed at instructing his monks in the proper uses of texts. In the end, however, the library at Vivarium was dispersed and lost, though it was still active circa 630. Although not a monastic rule as such, Cassiodorus did write his Institutes as a teaching guide for the monks at Vivarium, the monastery he founded on his family's land in southern Italy. A classically educated Roman convert, Cassiodorus wrote extensively on scribal practices. He cautions over-zealous scribes to check their copies against ancient, trustworthy exemplars and to take care not to change the inspired words of scripture because of grammatical or stylistic concerns. He declared "every work of the Lord written by the scribe is a wound inflicted on Satan", for "by reading the Divine Scripture he wholesomely instructs his own mind and by copying the precepts of the Lord he spreads them far and wide". It is important to note that Cassiodorius did include the classical texts of ancient Rome and Greece in the monastic library. This was probably because of his upbringing, but was, nonetheless, unusual for a monastery of the time. When his monks copied these texts, Cassiodorus encourages them to amend texts for both grammar and style. Of the Benedictines Cassiodorus's contemporary, Benedict of Nursia, also allowed his monks to read the great works of the pagans in the monastery he founded at Monte Cassino in 529. The creation of a library here initiated the tradition of Benedictine scriptoria, where the copying of texts not only provided materials actually needed in the routines of the community and served as work for hands and minds otherwise idle, but produced a valuable product. Saint Jerome stated that the products of the scriptorium could be a source of revenue for the monastic community, but Benedict cautioned, "If there be skilled workmen in the monastery, let them work at their art in all humility".

Salve, MPC Here comes Titus Livius Patavinus, Ab Urbe Condita, liber XXXIX, cp. XLIV: In equitatu recognoscendo L. Scipioni Asiatico ademptus equus. in censibus quoque accipiendis tristis et aspera in omnes ordines censura fuit. ornamenta et uestem muliebrem et uehicula, quae pluris quam quindecim milium aeris essent, <deciens tanto pluris quam quanti essent> in censum referre iuratores iussi; item mancipia minora annis uiginti, quae post proximum lustrum decem milibus aeris aut pluris eo uenissent, uti ea quoque deciens tanto pluris quam quanti essent aestimarentur, et his rebus omnibus terni in milia aeris attribuerentur. In the revision of the register of the equites L. Scipio Asiatico was struck out. In fixing the assessments the censorship was severe and harsh on all classes. Orders were issued that an account should be taken on oath of all female dress, ornaments and carriages which were valued at more than 15,000 ases, and that they should be assessed at ten times their value. Similarly, slaves less than twenty years old who had been sold since the last lustrum for 10,000 ases or more were to be assessed at ten times that amount, and on all these assessments a tax was imposed of one-third per cent.

Salve, Amici. Here comes some extracts of the EPITOME OF THE DEFINITION OF THE ICONOCLASTIC CONCILIAbULUM, HELD IN CONSTANTINOPLE, A.D. 754. THE DEFINITION OF THE HOLY, GREAT, AND ECUMENICAL SEVENTH SYNOD Supported by the Holy Scriptures and the Fathers, we declare unanimously, in the name of the Holy Trinity, that there shall be rejected and removed and cursed one of the Christian Church every likeness which is made out of any material and colour whatever by the evil art of painters. Whoever in future dares to make such a thing, or to venerate it, or set it up in a church, or in a private house, or possesses it in secret, shall, if bishop, presbyter, or deacon, be deposed; if monk or layman, be anathematised, and become liable to be tried by the secular laws as an adversary of God and an enemy of the doctrines handed down by the Fathers. At the same time we ordain that no incumbent of a church shall venture, under pretext of destroying the error in regard to images, to lay his hands on the holy vessels in order to have them altered, because they are adorned with figures. The same is provided in regard to the vestments of churches, cloths, and all that is dedicated to divine service. If, however, the incumbent of a church wishes to have such church vessels and vestments altered, he must do this only with the assent of the holy Ecumenical patriarch and at the bidding of our pious Emperors. So also no prince or secular official shall rob the churches, as some have done in former times, under the pretext of destroying images. All this we ordain, believing that we speak as doth the Apostle, for we also believe that we have the spirit of Christ; and as our predecessors who believed the same thing spake what they had synodically defined, so we believe and therefore do we speak, and set forth a definition of what has seemed good to us following and in accordance with the definitions of our Fathers... 8) If anyone ventures to represent the divine image (karakthr) of the Word after the Incarnation with material colours, let him be anathema! (9) If anyone ventures to represent in human figures, by means of material colours, by reason of the incarnation, the substance or person (ousia or hypostasis) of the Word, which cannot be depicted, and does not rather confess that even after the Incarnation he [i.e., the Word] cannot be depicted, let him be anathema! (10) If anyone ventures to represent the hypostatic union of the two natures in a picture, and calls it Christ, and fires falsely represents a union of the two natures, let him be anathema! (11) If anyone separates the flesh united with the person of the Word from it, and endeavours to represent it separately in a picture, let him be anathema! (12) If anyone separates the one Christ into two persons, and endeavours to represent Him who was born of the Virgin separately, and thus accepts only a relative (sketikh) union of the natures, etc. (13) If anyone represents in a picture the flesh deified by its union with the Word, and thus separates it from the Godhead, let him be anathema! (14) If anyone endeavours to represent by material colours, God the Word as a mere man, who, although bearing the form of God, yet has assumed the form of a servant in his own person, and thus endeavours to separate him from his inseparable Godhead, so that he thereby introduces a quaternity into the Holy Trinity, let him be anathema! (15) If anyone shall not confess the holy ever-virgin Mary, truly and properly the Mother of God, to be higher than every creature whether visible or invisible, and does not with sincere faith seek her intercessions as of one having confidence in her access to our God, since she bare him, let him be anathema! (16) If anyone shall endeavour to represent the forms of the Saints in lifeless pictures with material colours which are of no value (for this notion is vain and introduced by the devil), and does not rather represent their virtues as living images in himself, let him be anathema!

Salve, Amici Both LC Tacitus (Historias, Liber II, cp. I-V) and C Suetonius T (Titus, cp. V) state Titus receive the news of Galba's death at Corinth and then return to Judea with his father, consulting the oracle of the temple of Venus of Pafos on his way back, where he got a good omen. Both authors told us too that Vespasian showed copies of a letter from Otho (probably forged) where the latter asked his help against Vitelius. Vespasianus was in Alexandria (and Titus in Jerusalem) when letters came with the news that Vitellius had been routed at Cremona by Primus and then slain at Rome.

That would have been absurd.

Salve, Amici

Linguistic digressions aside.

Here comes Caius Suetonius

Salve, T. Based on their potential historical value, I would like mostly original contemporary narratives made by Roman enemies; Greeks, Persians, Jewish, but specially Phoenician: any original text of the Carthaginian constitution, the Annals of that city, Hannibal's Lacinian Incription, his Greek book on CM Vulso, Sosilus' books (specifically the one antagonized by Polybius), any text by Silenus, and so on.

Yes, absolutely.

Salve, Amici Here comes Lucius Claudius Cassius Dio, Roman History, Liber LI, cp. V: "After settling this and the other business that pressed, giving to those who had received a grant of amnesty the right also to live in Italy, not before permitted them, and forgiving the populace which had remained behind in Rome for not having gone to meet him, he (OCTAVIUS) set out once more for Greece on the thirtieth day after his arrival. Then, because it was winter, he carried his ships across the isthmus of the Peloponnesus and got back to Asia so quietly that Antony and Cleopatra learned at one and the same time both of his departure and of his return. They, it appears, when they had made their escape from the naval battle at Actium, had gone as far as the Peloponnesus together; from there, after they had first dismissed a number of their associates whom they suspected,

Salve, GPM Here comes Pytheas' Periplus Περὶ τοῦ Ὠκεανοῦ extracted by Polybius on Histories Liber XXXIV cp. V, as transcribed by Strabo on Geographia Liber II cp. IV: καὶ Πυθέαν, ὑφ' οὑ̂ παρακρουσθη̂ναι πολλούς, ὅλην μὲν τὴν Βρεττανικὴν ἐμβαδὸν ἐπελθει̂ν φάσκοντος, τὴν δὲ περίμετρον πλειόνων ἢ τεττάρων μυριάδων ἀποδόντος τη̂ς νήσου, and Pytheas who has led many people into error by saying that he traversed the whole of Britain on foot, giving the island a circumference of forty thousand stades,

Salve, Amici

Salve, Amici "Speaking two days after the murder of 15-year-old schoolgirl Arsema Darwit

Salve, L This link goes to a brief Abruzzi : Italian Lexicon (Vocabolario Abruzzese). I hope we're talking about the same language/dialect here.

Salve, Amici On the use of the ὑγρόν πῦρ againt the Pisans (1100 AD) here comes Anna Commena, The Alexiad, Book XI, cp. X: "As he (the emperor Alexius I Comnenus) knew that the Pisans were skilled in sea warfare and dreaded a battle with them, on the prow of each ship he had a head fixed of a lion or other land-animal, made in brass or iron with the mouth open and then gilded over, so that their mere aspect was terrifying. And the fire which was to be directed against the enemy through tubes he made to pass through the mouths of the beasts, so that it seemed as if the lions and the other similar monsters were vomiting the fire... the whole fleet he put under the command of Landulph ... Landulph himself, first of all, drew close to the Pisan ships and threw fire at them, but aimed badly and thus accomplished nothing but wasting his fire. Then the man called Count Eleemon very boldly attacked the largest vessel at the stern, but got entangled in its rudders, and as he could not free himself easily he would have been taken, had he not with great presence of mind had recourse to his machine and poured fire upon the enemy very successfully. Then he quickly turned his ship round and set fire on the spot to three more of the largest barbarian ships... The barbarians now became thoroughly alarmed, firstly because of the fire directed upon them (for they were not accustomed to that kind of machine, nor to a fire, which naturally flames upwards, but in this case was directed in whatever direction the sender desired, often downwards or laterally) and secondly they were much upset by the storm, and consequently they fled."

Salve, K I think it was actually Theodoric, long after killing Odoacer. Here comes Chronica Theodericiana cp. XIV, sec. LXXII: Ex eo enim invenit diabolus locum, quem ad modum hominem bene rem publicam sine querella gubernantem subriperet. Nam mox iussit ad fonticulos in proastio civitatis Veronensis oratorium Santi Stephani, id est altarium, subverti. Item ut nullus Romanus arma usque ad cultellum uteretur vetuit. "Shortly after that the devil found an opportunity to steal for his own a man who was ruling the state well and without complaint. For presently Theoderic gave orders that an oratory of St. Stephen, that is, a high altar, beside the springs in a suburb of the city of Verona, should be destroyed. He also forbade any Roman to carry arms, except a small pen-knife."

Oh, it's a slippery definition, to be sure, and why it's one that while used with 'lay people' (for lack of a better term), it's usually quanitified by most linguists. Salve, Amici These are some of my own questions for Docta about the fascinating topic of quantitative linguistics: - Exactly how is lexical similarity measured? (BTW, I've noted Ethnologue gives figures under 90% for similar languages; ie, Spanish/Portuguese or Italian/French). - Ethnologue gives also figures for mutual intelligibility, a related but clearly different concept. How is it measured? Are intelligibility and Comprehensibility synonymous? - I understand intelligibility might be asymmetrical (ie, it may be easier for Dutch subjects to understand written Afrikaans than it is for South African subjects to understand written Dutch). Can this be a significant problem for the dialect/language definition? - Can any of the previous (or additional) measures be used as standard cut-off values for the quantitative definition of language vs dialect? Thanks in advance.

Salve, NR The model of the Sanctury of Fortuna Primagenia at Praeneste is credited to Erik Olson (1998) HERE.

No. My mistake was using the neuter when the feminine Docta was clearly required. We agree Gratiam habeo for that link, NR. Its first reference, "Latin loans in Berber: A Review" (in Italian with a French abstract) seems particularly interesting. It includes the following quotation in English (Van den Boogert 1997: 220): "Some loans were probably taken from Latin, e.g. afullus, Lat. pullus, while others were taken from a Romanic language spoken in North-Africa rather than one of the existing Romanic languages). cf. ifilu, "thread": Italian filo, Spanish hilo, but Latin filum."