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Unusual By Today's Standards!


P.Clodius

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Personaly, I took the liberty of trying that out by myself on my own couch one night when my parents were out, and no, I was starved becuase it was 6:00 and I hadn't eaten since 10:00 so I hate happily and finished my meal within half an hour, didn't get a stomach ache... though we might differ. Infact, I perfered it to eating in seats at a table.

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Oh jeez, I couldn't eat or drink right when I tried the Roman way, I almost choked once. Also, learning kinda makes it hard when trying to eat a hamburger or anything large, need both hands/leeway ya know.

 

Even the way Asians eat is not that bad compared to the Romans. The Jap. way looks uncomfortable, but its really not that bad.

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Are you fellows reclining on your stomachs, no the Romans would be lying on one side while doing this, it allowed them to have a spare arm while reclining on the other, and just to let you folks know, don't use any forks or what not. Romans ate with hands... Therefore any Roman food was bite size so to speak, making sure that one didn't have too much in one bite. So to point out, there way of eating works perfectly well when mixed with other aspects of culture.

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Lupercalia is tomorrow. This is an especially bizarre (by modern standards) holiday.

 

I've seen people do weirder things. Though you don't see that at the typical town square no... :)

 

So when it's said that the 'Young Wives do not avoid their (the Luperci) strokes" what exactly is meant? Are the Luprici smacking them with the thongs or something else... :)

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Lupercalia is tomorrow. This is an especially bizarre (by modern standards) holiday.

 

I've seen people do weirder things. Though you don't see that at the typical town square no... :)

 

So when it's said that the 'Young Wives do not avoid their (the Luperci) strokes" what exactly is meant? Are the Luprici smacking them with the thongs or something else... :)

Yes, young females would try to get themselves hit by the thongs. It was a fertlity ritual, and supposedly being hit by one of the thongs meant you would have many useful children.

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The Roman view of human sexuality.

 

What's unusual about it. Seems to me like the view Lucretius expounded is almost a perfect match for the view that many men today would endorse--sleep with whomever you wish to get rid of your lust so you can focus on more important things. I'm too much of a romantic to buy that view, but I dare say that many moderns have an altogether cynical (and Roman) view about romance.

 

I'd push that for the most part the Roman view of Romance is actually tamer at times that many underground, but widespread, modern conceptions. I can't speak for Europe, but I think because of America's Puritan past, the idea of love, sex, romance and intimacy is for the most part worse now than in Roman periods. In Roman society there were brothels, prostitutes etc of course, and also one's personal slave in the household, but now you have a culture that propels people to act in a very viceful manner and there still exists that aspect of slavery etc, except it's more underground than public for obvious reasons.

 

The Lupercalia seems pretty tame to me. Compared to college fraternity parties, the Lupercalia is quaint.

 

Frat parties? Try Frat and Sorority initations... depending of course on the chapter... some can be much tamer than that Lupercalia and other could make even Vlad Tepes cringe...

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Take your pick of any number of religious superstitions and practices. I don't know of any culture personally that has more or stranger.

 

How true two of my favourites are planting turnips naked by moonlight praying

 

and this gem from Cato which I will give in the original Latin because I am sure some kind soul will translate it pretty quickly but the process of translating it made me laugh heartily (I don't get out much) and I wouldn't want to deprive you!

 

If no-one translates it fairly pronto I will...promise

 

Intertrigini remedium: In viam cum ibis, apsinthi Pontici surculum sub anulo habeto

 

Sulla Felix :P

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and this gem from Cato which I will give in the original Latin because I am sure some kind soul will translate it pretty quickly...

 

Intertrigini remedium: In viam cum ibis, apsinthi Pontici surculum sub anulo habeto

 

"To prevent chafing: When you set out on a journey, keep a small branch of Pontic wormwood under the anus."

 

Cato the Elder was a real hoot, no? Rustic as they come, possibly mean as they get too, but always a hoot.

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