Nephele

Hmm.... I don't haul water in addition to other "duties". I'm more of an Aspasia than an Antietam Annie. :wub: -- Nephele

Do you want a camp follower? :wub: -- Nephele

I think the Red Cross should airlift Jade Goody to the Arctic and drop her in an Eskimo village. Her ass alone could feed those poor, freezing Eskimos for MONTHS. -- Nephele

I'm a slave dancer actually, from the House of Lycus. But I can swoon real good. And, you're welcome! -- Nephele

Yikes. Sounds like you've had a real pain in the ash. Cancel the entire month of January, and wishing you a happier and prosperous start to the new year on February 1st! -- Nephele

I love a bargain. For anyone else who does, the Discovery Channel is having their semi-annual DVD sale, and you can pick up their DVDs for as little as $4.99. Here are a few relating to the Roman world that may be of interest: What the Ancients Knew Pompeii: The Last Day Ancient Civilizations Colosseum: A Gladiator's Story Rome: Power & Glory Mummies of Rome Unfortunately, the Discovery Channel's DVDs are only coded for Region 1 (US and Canada). But the Discovery Channel does ship to the U.K., if you have a code-free player. I don't think they ship to any other countries. -- Nephele

M. Scaevola, you were once a gladiator who distinguished himself to such a high degree in the arena (you have scores of Patrician female fans who sigh and grow weak-kneed at the very mention of your name) that you earned your freedom as a result. You're still a superstar in Rome (what noteworthy gladiator isn't?), as well as a full Roman citizen now. For your Roman citizen name you took the praenomen of "Servius", the nomen of "Aurelius" (to indicate your golden fortune), and the cognomen of "Thraex" (meaning "Thracian", and also indicative of the type of gladiator you were -- a deadly expert with the small shield and saber): Ser. Aurelius Thraex (haeltx rwceae ddrsr -wcdd +iuus) -- Nephele

Completely off-topic, but despite his formidable image, Cecil B. DeMille was reportedly a sweet and giving man with no violent history whatever (including any attached to his notorious riding crop). When he was an independent director, he was completely in control of everything, but he was also a master at motivating his actors through their pride rather than their fear. Anyway, sorry to go off-topic. Absolutely. Which is why it would've been soooo unexpectedly entertaining if an enraged 75-year-old Cecil had suddenly leapt astride one of those "doo whut?" actors, BEATING him with the crop and riding him around and around the pyramids like a rented camel. Wheee! I would've paid money to see that. -- Nephele

Excellent point, Augusta, regarding how one's vision can play tricks on us, and then we perpetuate the stories that eventually turn into urban legends. Especially when it seems so likely that actors might carelessly forget to remove things like modern-day wristwatches when performing in a costume drama. But there are at least three films that do validate the old "wristwatch story". At least, according to a fun little book titled Film Flubs: Memorable Movie Mistakes, by Bill Givens (Citadel Press, 1990). The first is in Cecil B. DeMille's The Crusades (1935): "the king actually flips back his cape and looks at his watch!" The second is in Cecil B. DeMille's (Cecil should've BEAT those actors with his riding crop) The Ten Commandments (1956): "when a blind man is seen wearing one on his wrist." The third is in The Viking Queen (1967). The book doesn't identify the scene, but I have personal verification of that film flub straight from one of the actors from that movie -- Pat Troughton. I got to talk to dear old Dr Who #2 about it before he sadly passed away. -- Nephele

Neither. It's Borat Sagdiyev, roving journalist for the glorious nation of Kazakhstan. I want to make sexy time with Borat. -- Nephele

Thanks for that link, Northern Neil! I can see I'll be spending a lot of time over on that site, as I lurve da moobies! Interesting to see that even the nitpickers over there get nitpicked on some of their statements. Here are a couple of folks who took exception with the nitpickers who claim to have "seen" the red ferrari/truck/van/furiously pedaled tricycle... -- Nephele

I'm pretty sure that's a myth. I think in Charlton Heston's or T. Gene Hatcher's commentary in the 2005 release of the 4-disc DVD collector's edition that story is debunked (along with the stories of anybody having been killed during the big chariot race). If you haven't seen that DVD, I highly recommend it -- just for watching it along with film historian T. Gene Hatcher's brilliant (and entertaining) background commentary (intercut with Charlton Heston's commentary from a previous video release). Just curious -- where did you see this in Asimov's Book of Facts? I have a copy of that book, and maybe I missed seeing a mention of the movie Ben-Hur in the "That's Entertainment" chapter, although I did see the book Ben-Hur is mentioned in the chapter titled "On Books". -- Nephele

Do we really have any good ancient sources on mother-daughter interactions? I don't know how "good" this ancient source is , but in his play Cistellaria, Plautus gives us a bit of a comical mother-daughter relationship consisting of an aging prostitute named Arena and her daughter (also a prostitute) named Gymnasium. The relationship is that the mother is the role model for the daughter, who dutifully and obediently follows her mother's teaching as a whore just as might be expected of any "proper" Roman girl. For her "virtue", Arena tells her daughter that she'll be rewarded with eternal youthfulness: GYMNASIUM: I'll always be just the way you want me, Mother. ARENA: I won't regret that, for sure, as long as you keep Doing it. As long as you do what I say, You'll never lose your youth even if you grow old, Taking from the men and giving to your mom, And without costing me a thing. Octavia in HBO's Rome seems to me to be a pretty dutiful daughter for the most part, even if she does despise her mother's behavior at times. After all, Roman values, and all that, come first -- whether you're a patrician or a prostitute, I should imagine. -- Nephele

I'll raise a glass to that! Birthday hails to you! -- Nephele

Well... Actually, I didn't intend to give the impression that I thought Atia sounded like "some spoilt bitch from West London 20th century" in my comparison of her to Edina. While "spoilt bitch" does sound a good description for Atia, in the context of Roman mores as shown in the series, along with what Atia manages to get away with, Atia certainly represents a far more malevolent, dangerous version of any spoilt bitch from 20th century West London. It's mostly in Atia's interaction with her long-suffering daughter Octavia where I see the similarity with Edina and the equally long-suffering Saffron. I mean, by the same token, actress Kerry Condon was pure Saffy, right down to her bored facial expressions, in the scene in which Octavia scornfully mocked the gasps her mother makes while in the throes of orgasm. All of which makes Atia my absolute favorite character in this series. Regardless of whether one feels that Polly Walker does or does not convincingly enough deliver her lines in accordance with one's expectations of a Late Republic era Roman matron, her character of Atia is nevertheless a delightfully -- sometimes humorously -- wicked piece of work that makes for a fascinating antagonist. -- Nephele

I actually rather like Atia, but probably for the wrong reasons. Has anyone besides me noticed the often hilarious similarity between Atia

finduilas, you're a member of the Decia gens, which has spawned many a noble Roman bearing the nomen of Decius. You come from a large family -- you're the ninth daughter born, in fact. And so, as is often the case, your parents gave you the feminine praenomen of "Nona" to indicate your order of birth. Your full name is: Nona Decia (aetnj ceno -etj +dia) Salve! Welcome! -- Nephele

You

You're welcome! Thanks for letting me play with your name -- send your friends! -- Nephele

GMC, you were once a Greek captive of the great senator and general, Gn. Hosidius Geta. Geta was so entranced by your beauty and wit, that he rewarded you with your freedom. You voluntarily continue as a member of his household, helping to manage the general's household affairs. For your Roman name, you have taken the nomen of your former master (feminine form, of course), and added to it your original Greek name (which signifies "immortal beauty") for your cognomen. Your name is: Hosidia Athanasia (hswaHaaay hthoSan -hhwy +diii) -- Nephele

Welcome, Maria Caeca! Your scramble is a bit long to work with. Could you please trim it down a bit by removing a middle name? Thanks! -- Nephele

G.O., if this is of any help, I've compiled a list of Latin terms used by genealogists to define relationships: Avus Paternus = Paternal Grandfather Proavus Paternus = Paternal Great-grandfather Abavus Paternus = Paternal Great-great-grandfather Atavus Paternus = Paternal Great-great-great-grandfather Tritavus Paternus = Paternal Great-great-great-great-grandfather Avus Maternus = Maternal Grandfather Proavus Maternus = Maternal Great-grandfather Abavus Maternus = Maternal Great-great-grandfather Atavus Maternus = Maternal Great-great-great-grandfather Tritavus Maternus = Maternal Great-great-great-great-grandfather Avia Paternis = Paternal Grandmother Proavia Paternis = Paternal Great-grandmother Abavia Paternis = Paternal Great-great-grandmother Atavia Paternis = Paternal Great-great-great-grandmother Tritavia Paternis = Paternal Great-great-great-great-grandmother Avia Maternis = Maternal Grandmother Proavia Maternis = Maternal Great-grandmother Abavia Maternis = Maternal Great-great-grandmother Atavia Maternis = Maternal Great-great-great-grandmother Tritavia Maternis = Maternal Great-great-great-great-grandmother Sorry I couldn't find any specific terms for 5x great and greater. But you can find the Latin terms for other degrees of cognatio at this link for Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. -- Nephele

Thank you for an enlightening bit of research there, G.O.! I have only one thing to add, regarding the Jewish calendar

Kreick, you're a freedman of the unfortunate L. Annius, who was struck down by the gods for blasphemy. Before he died, L. Annius had made a provision in his will to free his slaves (you being one of those). In gratitude to your former master (even though he was an impious wretch), and as is customary, you assumed your master's name for your nomen, while keeping your former Greek name of Nicephor (meaning "bearer of victory") as your cognomen. You're also now a full Roman citizen, named: Gnaeus Annius Nicephor (epshoj cfnarsi iannnge -jf +uu) I could be wrong, but I thought we Romans have been celebrating New Year's Day on the 1st of Ianuarius since the year of the Consuls Ti. Annius Luscus and Q. Fulvious Nobilior (in 601 A.U.C.)? Regardless, I don't like those pesky two new months added in the winter, which have thrown off the whole numbering system. Happy New Year, Octavi carissime! -- Nephele

Why, thank you, Ursus. :wub: What can I say? Scandal follows me everywhere -- even into my imaginings of Ancient Rome. -- Nephele Click here for Your Hidden Roman Name