Pertinax

Marcus Aurelius spoke about this very thing in his meditations!

With "non-legendary" items we have a definite shopping list, I think Primus Pilus has identified the "legendary or possibly non-rational cultural totems". I wouldnt deny Excalibur as my tribal totem , but for the purpose of this list perhaps I have to exclude it. Ghengis Khans tomb should exist or should have existed at some stage of history so I think that is a clear inclusion ,Excalibur is a "possiblity" but much more likely to be an idea or totemisation of an artefact after the fact of a series of events. What is the feeling on this?

Coming soon- should you eat the messengers of the Gods? of course you should! and the recipe will be here shortly woodpeckers can prophesy but they also make a delicious terrine and I cant believe this thread has run so far!

I for one enjoyed Indy's choice of Christ's cup in the "Crusade " film- a simple rough, sturdy wooden vessel for a carpenters son.

In reverse order-the older type of vessel would be a "philia" a shallow circular bowl. However different Gods have different cups, so Hercules had the scyphus ( though not exclusivley)which is a a small beaker-Bacchus had the large ceremonial kantharus with large double handles,( many contemporary sports trophies ape this style).The calix was a general vessel being a flattish bowl with two handles-so impurities could easily be seen in a wine.The Magister would propose what vessel should be used. The direction is the "way of the sun" from astronomical observation.

So you have been invited to Rome from your hovel in Brittania,and you are aware that milk and beer are laughed at as the amusing childish habits of the uncivilised, what is to be done to prepare yourself for a stiiff drink? Well wine is all the rage in Rome and if you go to a smart dinner party the guests will appoint a "magister bibendi" a master of revels, in this they follow the aloof and somewhat effeminate Greeks who called the king of drinking the "symposiarch" (nice word eh?). Now the Magister is in charge of alcohol consumption and the seemliness of proceedings, as a barbarian this will be assumed to beyond your understanding as you would doubtless drink yourself senseless at the first opportunity and do violence to your neighbour,in Rome though if conversation becomes too heated the Magister must intercede and propose a more erudite and seemly topic -forunately he would have slaves available to dilute the wine with as much as six parts of water to one of wine if proceedings were taking a bad turn.Remember the drinking bowl must pass clockwise around the triclinium -this is not some downmarket hut in Eboracum ,remembering always to spill a few drops as a libation and not because of drunkeness, Jupiter and Neptune should be honoured always but other |Gods require respect, if you wish to appear knowledgable try a toast to Sulla Minerva your local deity conflated with the ever watchful Minerva.

Ill buy that as a rationale-so do you intend to place the tomb on your monuments list? Does anyone feel that an explanation of the Ark is needed?

to Pantagathus-yes it was the Belgae entry that threw me, and if they were in Biscay and used to its weather crossing the Atlantic wouldnt have been that intimidating to them. to Moonlapse-possibly the druid entry might be seen in relation to the megalith builders in the way that the irish monks are intellectual inheritors of celt-iberian boat technology.And the point about doing it because it might be possible is very pertinent. Pantagthus might be able to tell us about the long range outrigger canoe travels in the polynesian parts of the globe , ( my understanding being those guys did it for prestige and prowess as much as any practical reason -though my knowledge is rudimentary),in relation to celt-iberian capabilities .

I am gratified and amused by the learned interest that my image and commentary on Cuckoopint herb has stirred. At first I had thought perhaps there was an urgent cultural need to understand the starching of Elizabethen costume ruffs, I now see that it may have been more related to my initial commentary on the seminal vessels . The glycosides in this plant are of unknown structure, the other main constituent is a group of acetylated mannans.Large doses administered for sore throats have caused death. Apparently hibernating bears like to eat quantities of the stuff to "open the gut due to its windy nature" before getting down to a new seasons foraging. But before you try and chop the root up to agglutinise your spermatazoa remember " it choppeth blistereth and maketh hands rough and rugged and withall smarting". Its other commen name by the way is Lords and Ladies-. My goodness I notice a further surge in erudite perusal since my main entry. Also Fratres I urgently petition you to support the thread of Favonius Cornelius on "Great Artifacts" and to view the gallery images of Pantagathus and the elegant coins of antiquity.

I was wondering about the Sybelline books now you mention it

excellently provocative! more please.