Nova Britannia General Meeting: Julius MMDCCLXXVII

Nova Britannia General Meeting: Julius MMDCCLXXVII

Monday, July 6th, MMDCCLXXVII, 6:00 p.m. - 6:40 p.m.

Participants: Sibylla Ambrosia Fulvia

Numerius Octavius Astronomus

Publius Sextius Laevus

Aulus Iulius Paterculus

   At the start of the meeting, I requested a delay of my presentation on Roman medicine, as I had not yet done enough research for a full introduction to the topic. Sibylla Ambrosia Fulvia and N. Octavius Astronomus agreed. A second later, P. Sextius Laevus signed on.

   The conversation turned to the announcement four days earlier by M. Cassius Julianus on the dates for MithraCon the following year (Friday, April 25th to Sunday April 27th, 2025). Sibylla stated that she planned to take more notes next MithraCon, as the conversation had been quite interesting in April 2024. Astronomus likewise recalled the detailed presentations given by Patty and Zoe, and the distance Zoe had travelled to attend. I asked about progress on steps needed to qualify the next MithraCon as a Conventus. Sibylla and Astronomus reported that they and Cassius had discussed venues and looked into the ballroom of the hotel where the majority of MithraCon took place. We agreed that this would require more deliberation, but that having the dates was an important step, allowing people to add it to their plans.

   Laevus said that he would not be able to attend MithraCon, since it would involve too much travel. He did say that one of us could meet with him if we happened to be passing through Albany and called ahead.

   Sibylla mentioned that she would have copies of her newest book Tales of the North at MithraCon. This an irreverent take on Norse myth continuing her earlier book - Norse Mythology...According to Uncle Einar. Sibylla said she might next give Greco-Roman mythology the same treatment.

   We next discussed Saturnalia for the coming December. It was agreed that either Sunday, December 15th or Saturday, December 21st would be good options, but it was left open for everyone, particularly Sibylla as the hostess, to think about further.

    Astronomus announced as the call ended that he was gathering a local in-person Latin group, which hopefully would begin meeting regularly.

Nova Britannia General Meeting Aprilis MMDCCLXXVII

Monday, April 22nd, MMDCCLXXVII, 7:00 p.m. - 8:02 p.m.

Participants: Sibylla Ambrosia Fulvia

                    Marcus Quintius Clavus

                    Aulus Iulius Paterculus

                    Publius Sextius Laevus

                    Numerius Octavius Astronomus

    When I joined, Sibylla and Quintius were already present and discussing plans for MithraCon, which was to take place the following weekend. Laevus joined shortly afterwards.

   I expressed a bit of concern on behalf of those attending due to the recently publicized disruptions on the Yale campus. Quintius replied that there was no cause for concern and that he was no stranger to protest himself.   Astronomus joined around this time, and conversation turned to meals. Sibylla had a list of what everyone had agreed to bring to the Roman dinner, and compared notes on which restaurant plans would be best for dinner the other night.

    They also talked about planned activities during the day: Sibylla would be spending much of Saturday in the hotel room with Cassius and Patricia, sketching out a modern Mithraic system, while Quintius led the rest of the group to the library, where he would himself do research on regal and Hellenistic Macedonia, as well as catching up on any new resources related to the Roman army acquired by Yale.

    Quintius also mentioned some presentations to take place in early May at the Peabody Museum, including a talk by Eric Cline (author of 1177 B.C. and After 1177 B.C.), which Quintius planned to attend. 

     Sibylla commented on the book by Andrew Fear on Mithras which she had been reading and her plans to talk with Cassius about the possible Mithraic background of Masonry. Quintius doubted any direct line of descent, pointing out that certain features were common to secret societies in general. This led into a discussion comparing and contrasting Mithraism, Masonry, and the cult of Bona Dea, which was brought up by Laevus.

      Astronomus mentioned an observatory around New Haven he hoped one day to visit, which he had learned about while researching potential collaborators for his work. Quintius mentioned a Farmington astronomy club, which had recently given a presentation on meteors to the public.

      Astronomus also shared some pictures he'd taken of the full moon.

      After Zoom kicked us out, only Sibylla, Astronomus, and I returned. Sibylla and Astronomus discussed having an astronomy activity during the weekend of MithraCon, Astronomus reached out to Pupienus to see if he would be attending, and we talked about plans for MithraCon the following year.

Comic Review: Iphigenia in Aulis: The Age of Bronze Edition

     This book features an original translation by playwright and author Edward Einhorn of the classic play by Euripedes, accompanied by high-quality black-and-white illustrations by Eric Shanower.

    The play itself is moving and certainly worth reading, although this is likely as true of other translations as of this particular one. The opening scenes are not quite as engaging as those later in the text: it's only once characters with different agendas begin engaging in dialog that the strengths of the author are truly evident. Iphigenia's final speech is particularly effective, but at the same time sounds what feel like at least a few false notes to the modern audience member, which are discussed briefly in an appendix.

    The illustrations are not so frequent as to overwhelm the text but complement it well by allowing one to read the facial expressions of the characters, much as one might in a dramatic rendering. (Of course, this wouldn't be the case in a traditional tragic performance of the play, in which the actors are masked. Somewhat ironically, the supplementary text reveals that this was the path the director took when staging this translation, meaning that viewers would have experienced the work very differently from readers despite the common text.)

    There are a few appendices with details of the stage production and thoughts on the text, as well as a glossary and family tree. These endnotes should probably be taken critically. In particular, the suggestion in the director's notes that 'the mob' is the true antagonist in the play seems dubious to me: I am half inclined to take the (always offstage) protests of the soldiers as merely an excuse for the male characters onstage to act according to their preexisting inclinations. Additionally, I believe that the glossing of "Centaurs" is simply mistaken: modern scholars have hypothesised that centaurs were inspired by horse-riding cultures who interacted with the early Greeks, but within Greek myth itself they were clearly human-horse hybrids.

After Action Report: September 2021 Remote Nova Britannia Chat

 September 27th, 2021, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Participants: C. Claudius Quadratus

                     A. Tullia Scholastica

                     A. Iulius Paterculus (Host)

 Quadratus was the first to join the meeting an opened our discussion of Roman topics by mentioning that he had just started to re-read The First Man in Rome, as he tends to do once every ten years.

Quadratus also said that he was hoping to travel to Rome, but that there had been flight delays, which was not a good sign. In Rome itself, he had heard there were riots over Green Passes (the vaccine passport system in Italy).

We talked a little about the essay contest which had concluded the recent Ludi Romani. I agreed with Quadratus that the upper wordcount for these essays should probably have been higher and stated that I had hoped sharing the essays would have sparked some conversation on the Main List.

For instance, I said, I was strongly in agreement with the argument Quadratus had made in his essay that modern politicians should observe term restrictions as they had during the Roman Republic. I particularly thought that politicians should not have the ability to run for successive terms, since it resulted in time wasted in campaigning when they should be doing their jobs. Quadratus stated that the elections in Canada occurred with roughly five weeks’ notice, which reduced this problem somewhat. He also suggested a maximum age limit for politicians. I argued that if he was concerned about their mental state, it would be better to give competency exams and that the younger cohort probably would benefit by such screening just as much.

                Scholastica joined the call. She informed us that her Latin classes were very busy, as there were only two teachers in place of three. Scholastica also said that this particular group of students was more diverse than average, with students from Hong Kong, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Dar es Salaam, Wuhan, Iran, Italy, & the United States. Despite this, one student had such limited exposure to other cultures as to complain that the Spring and Winter breaks were not named after Easter and Christmas, which “everyone” celebrated, but Quinquatria and Saturnalia, which “no one” did.

                 Quadratus filled Scholastica in on his plans to re-read Colleen McCullough’s series. We all appreciated her work, Scholastica commenting that it had been comforting reading during a time of illness and was also handy for lifting as a weight! Quadratus said that the 100 page glossary in the back taught him more than a college class. I asked them what they thought of McCullough’s other work, saying I’d enjoyed The Thorn Birds but not The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet. Quadratus said that he hadn’t liked the other series of hers he had once started.

                Quadratus mentioned adopting a shy cat named “Biden” from the shelter. The shelter had named it and registered that name with the authorities when it was microchipped.  Friends and relatives of Quadratus, knowing his political bent, found it very funny.  Biden was a very nice cat and slowly getting used to his new surroundings.

                Quadratus stated that he was pausing his plans for a numismatic sodalitas, since there didn’t seem to be enough interest. Scholastica answered that there had not been much activity in the sodalitates in general, although one new member had joined Musarum the preceding day. I said that this could well be a friend to whom I had recommended the group.

                I said that building the sodalitates would take much time and effort, including a number of posts to encourage others to join in the conversation. I also said that it would be nice to have a sodalitas devoted to philosophy, and that it was rather surprising we didn’t already have one.

                Scholastica said we already had one, albeit an unofficial one, headed by Cassius.  She added that there was not much interest in the subject, quoting a similar observation by the satirist Juvenal. I disagreed, citing the ongoing Stoic renaissance, including multiple in-person groups in Connecticut in recent years and, within Nova Roma, a citizen who used to blog passages from Seneca. Scholastica recalled similar posts on the Main List once, but no longer.

                Scholastica said that that she and Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus had different approaches to contacting prospective members. Scholastica added that the probationary period and citizenship test had been reinstated effective September 1^st.

                Quadratus questioned whether these restrictions would really benefit recruitment, but Scholastica countered that many people applied for citizenship for reasons other than a love of Rome, such as an ambition to immigrate to the land we once owned in Texas.

                The discussion turned to animal sacrifice: Scholastica said that the thought of killing an animal to please a deity disturbed her, even if said animal was also eaten, but also that it didn’t much affect her since she was not a cultrix. Quadratus said that this practice was a deal-breaker for him, and that he had banned it is his province of Canada. I was in favour of animal sacrifice, and stated that if an animal was to be slaughtered anyway, having an additional purpose in doing so couldn’t do any harm, even if one didn’t credit the intended benefit. However, my main emphasis was the hope that cultores who did and did not engage in this practice could tolerate one another without denigrating or trying to stop one another’s acts of worship.

                Quadratus brought up that the U.S./Canada was still sealed for quarantine. This brought up discussion of the Antonine Plague and the plague of Athens. Scholastica pointed out that the plague of Athens was aggravated by Spartans whose siege crowded Athenians into their city and who tossed bodies over the walls. Quadratus also recalled food shortages which contributed to vulnerability to disease. I expressed surprise that catapults had already been invented in Classical Greece.

                I asked whether there was much activity in Canada or Mediatlantica. Quadratus said there was none in Canada, as he had little interest from local citizens and was happier to attend than organize in any case – though in-person was better than virtual.

                I asked whether they might come down to Connecticut. Quadratus confirmed that he would, possibly as soon a November. Scholastica said that she could not engage in such long-term driving at present, due to recent injuries.

Book Review: Saturnalia: A Tale of Wickedness and Redemption in Ancient Rome by Adam Alexander Haviaras

    Saturnalia: A Tale of Wickedness and Redemption in Ancient Rome is a fairly straightforward adaption of Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol from Victorian London to Imperial Rome. There will be few surprises here for those who have read the original story or witnessed any of the myriad stage or film versions, but that isn't necessarily a flaw: knowing the eventual outcome of the story can sometimes enhance drama rather than undercut it.

   As historical fiction, this novel is a mixed success. The author succeeds in portraying the spirit of the time in question (during the Severan Dynasty), and gets a variety of details right (portraying the diversity of Rome at the time, for instance). There may also be a few minor mistakes. The single most noticeable example is a detail concerning the ritus Graecus given correctly in an earlier chapter and then incorrectly in a later one. There is a glossary of Latin terms in the back which may be helpful to some, particularly as there are a few Latin words used which would normally have been translated (i.e. "cerei" instead of "candles").

  As a morality tale, the story is markedly more successful. The author very effectively sets up the greed and callousness of the main character early on (going significantly further than did Dickens: Scrooge was only a serious source of distress to his employees, so far as I can recall, while Catus Pompilius seems at times to be a menace to the entire Eternal City), and his change of heart comes gradually enough to be at least partly believable. One interesting thing about this book is how pious it is: reverence for the gods is repeatedly put hand with generosity, familial affection, enjoyment of life, and the other virtues promoted by the text, and it is the gods themselves who intervene to show the main character the error of his ways.

   Overall, this book is worth reading. It may even leave you feeling the urge to practice a bit more kindness and generosity in your own life.

Book Review: Dreaming the Eagle: A Novel of Boudica, The Warrior Queen by Manda Scott

   This book treats us to two parallel Bildungsromans: the comming of age of the warrior Breaca, including how she came to be known by the title Boudica ("She Who Brings Victory", the authoress translates for us) and that of her fictional brother Bán. Over the course of their initiations into their very different roles as adults, we see first something of contemporary British Celtic society as Scott imagines it & gradually increasing signs of the past & future conflict between the Celts & Romans.
   This book occupies a place somewhere between historical fiction & fantasy in terms of genre. Although there is no point at which the tale deviates from known history (so far as I could tell), little enough is known of Boudica's life & the society into which she was born that much is authorial invention by necessity, and some of that invention was slightly mystical, particularly those which take place on the island of Mona. These elements were well integrated into the story as a whole, and suspending disbelief while reading was easy. In retrospect, it seems that the culture of the British tribes are a little too tailored to modern sensibilities to be fully plausible (no slavery & a great deal of concern for animal welfare; the full equality of the sexes is somewhat believable, since Boudica was, after all, a real person).
   It takes time to understand the characters, but we get a chance to see the virtues & flaws of each, with the exception of a few wholly villianous characters. Scott is similarly nuanced in her depictions of the two cultures on display: despite the fact that the Romans are antagonistic to her heroine, Scott never adopts the same hostility towards them as many of her more sympathetic characters. A noble Roman is introduced fairly early in the story, apparently to dispel any inclination of readers to view the Empire as a conquest-hungry monolith, although it soon becomes clear that he also has a significant role in the plot.
   Certain scenes portray the abuse of slaves, which many people may find painful to read , but they clearly have a justification in terms of character development: they are not gratuitous.
   Overall, this is an excellent book - probably not the best for learning about the culture of the Celts as it actually existed, but great entertainment, and possibly a good starting point to develop an interest in this corner of the empire.

Book Review: From Unseen Fire by Cass Morris

                The last days of the Roman Republic (a tale very familiar to most of us) are retold through a fantasy lens in the new series The Aven Cycle. The premise of the alternate Rome in which much of this story is set (called “Aven” because Remus succeeded in founding it on the Aventine Hill) is that some individuals have been born with magical powers (divided into nine elements, although some of these mages have talents with more than one of the nine). Though honored, these individuals are barred from ascending the full cursus honorem, to avoid too great a concentration of power. The main characters of the book include three sisters thus gifted with magic, the Vitellae, as well this world’s Caesar equivalent, Vibius Sempronius Tarren.

                The manner in which the authoress modifies the actual history to fit this fantastic element is generally plausible & interesting. The leges tabulae magicae, laws the Aventans have devised to deal with magic, ring true to how the Romans would have handled such a situation (though the Latin doesn’t sound quite right to my ear). The magic employed by the Celts operates on a different system from that of Aven, which seems appropriate and raises hopes that unusual spellcraft from yet other lands will make it into future books in the series. There are a few points on which it would be easy to quibble: Morris associates each of her magical elements with one or more gods, for instance, and it is tempting to argue a few of the correspondences, but this is highly subjective.

                Depiction of the political scene is of mixed quality. On the one hand, the author cuts between the schemes of Sempronius, the plotting of his Optimate rivals within Aven, and the intrigues of their mutual Celtic foes, which adds variety and allows us a more complete view of the plot as it develops than is granted to any of the characters. On the other, I did feel at the time of reading this that the author’s sympathies lie a little too openly with the Populare faction: at times it seems that the fears of the Optimates that the mos maiorem is being eroded or that the ambitions of Semprionius could lead to dictatorship are presented as pure paranoia or a pretext to retain their own hold on power, when history proved the same fears by their counterparts to be well founded. Also, Ocella, a Sulla equivalent, features prominently toward the beginning, while no version of Marius is reported anywhere, making it look like past misdeeds were all on one side.

                The personal & romantic side of the book is focused mainly on Latona, one of the Vitelliae, although there is again a sub-plot among the Celts. In each case, Morris takes pains to draw how past experiences influence her heroines in the present. While I still didn’t understand or agree with every decision the characters made, this did create enough investment in the characters to hope they would be able to find happiness. These threads also revealed more depths to the characters male romantic interests. I only wish that the authoress had seen fit to create an Optimate romance as well to balance the three parts of her narrative and to show another side to these schemers in the Senate (one could argue some early scenes with Ocella fill this role, but these certainly did not showcase the tenderness of the dictator).

                Overall, this promises to be the start to an entertaining series.

                If this appeals to you, you may want to check out the website of the authoress at https://cassmorriswrites.com/.

After Action Report: MithraCon 2018

Friday, April 6th, 2018
Participants:
Sibylla Ambrosia Fulvia (Hostess)
Marcus Quintius Clavus
Marcus Cassius Julianus
Ed
Wenna
Aulus Iulius Paterculus
Quintius & I arrived by car. During the ride, we had a fair amount of discussion. Among other things, Quintius had mentioned recent and upcoming Roman (and Bronze Age) reenactments he was involved in including a “Heroes & Villains” day and CT State Latin Day. He had also recommended a novel, Trampling in the Land of Woe, featuring Alexander the Great & Hephaestion as major characters.
Sibylla had already checked in and set up the room, while Cassius had been delayed by snowstorm along the way down from Maine. We spoke for a little in the room before heading to dinner, and Cassius shared some amazing T-shirts & book bags produced at his copy shop. They depicted the leontecephalus, the lion-headed deity with a role in Mithraism.
Dinner was expected to be at an Indian restaurant, but, to our surprise, it had been replaced by an Afghani establishment. As we had a reservation, we decided to stay and Sibylla called in the two other attendees, Ed & Wenna, who were likewise confused when they arrived.
Much discussion took place during dinner, including of fiction in which large groups of people are sent through time. The restaurant itself had great food, and occasioned some conversation on the interaction between Afghanistan and the Classical world.
After dinner, four of us returned to the hotel, where discussion continued back in the room until around 11 p.m. Sibylla gave a talk about the seven grades of Mithraic initiation and we also touched on other subjects.
Saturday, April 7th, 2018
Additional Participants:
Elizabeth
Mockingbird
The following day we had breakfast at Patricia’s, a restaurant next to the hotel which had become a tradition. Sibylla showed some pictures of a recent trip to northern Italy, including some of historic buildings.
Next, there followed several hours of research at the Sterling library (and at the linked Bass library for part of the group). Sibylla did research for an upcoming work on runes. Cassius found texts on a number of in ancient history and religion. Quintius was researching Alexander, including biography and one analysis of a popular movie. I found a few (basic) works on the Roman military, and book on ancient influences on A Song of Ice & Fire/Game of Thrones.
After the library, Quintus & Cassius went to Yale bookstore, while Sibylla & I returned to the hotel. Shortly thereafter, the group reunited for dinner, joined by Mockingbird & Elizabeth. The was plenty of food, including dates, figs, almonds, grapes, carrots, Caesar salad, olives, feta cheese, and roast chicken. Elizabeth had even
brought homemade spelt bread. After the appetizers and entrée were complete, Cassius also produced some apple turnovers.
Discussion that evening began with more details from Sibylla on Mithraic grades. Everyone discussed their research at the library.
Mockingbird analyzed possible relation of Stonehenge to the phases of the moon. Quintius pointed out different strands in the Bible, and Cassius mentioned upcoming projects related to Etruscans & Hittites.
There were many other subjects which came up as well. Mockingbird and Elizabeth went home soon after dinner was complete, but the discussion again carried on until around 11.
Sunday, April 8th, 2018
Additional Participant: Tera Perry
Since Patricia’s was closed on Sunday for Orthodox Easter, we had breakfast downstairs in the Marriott’s own bistro. After that we packed up the room and conversed in the lobby until shortly before the Yale Art Gallery was set to open.
Tera met us at the gallery, and we toured the Classical wing of the gallery as a group. There had been a few changes since our last visit, and there were some insights into the art, such as Tera’s observation on the development of perspective over time.
In the Dura Europa exhibit, we studied the different artistic styles and modes of dress. Quintius and Tera each commented on the cultural influences visible. Sibylla talked with several groups touring the gallery about Mithraism. We took a picture of the Mithraeum & part of the group to put on the internet before heading home.

After Action Report: Satyricon Discussion

Date: Saturday, August 27th, 2016
Attendees: Nina Barclay
A. Paterculus
Summary: The event started a bit earlier than anticipated, around 1:45 p.m. rather than 2 p.m.
We had each brought our copy of the "Dinner at Trimalchio’s" scene, which was to be the major topic of discussion. Ms. Barclay’s version was The Millionaire’s Dinner Party, a Latin-language adaption by M.G. Balme; mine was an English translation which included the entirety of the Satyricon as well as Seneca’s Apocolocyntosis.
We discussed a number of points about the text, as well as the differences between the two versions. Some of the topics touched upon were: the various mosaics and frescos to be found in Trimalchio’s home, and their similarity with those examples of these art forms found in Pompeii; Trimalchio’s passion for astrology and a speech (present in the English, but not the abridged Latin) in which he describes the attributes of people born under various constellations; the reliability of the narrator, Encolpius; and the (relatively) benign treatment to which Trimalchio, a freedman himself, subjected his slaves.
The discussion also wandered toward the Classics in general. Ms. Barclay recommended a number of items she had come across:

New Pompeii by Daniel Godfrey - A novel in which a corporation brings citizens of ancient Pompeii into the modern world.Plato & a Platypus Walk into a Bar - A comedic exploration of various philosophical ideas.
Being Human - Not to be confused with the BBC or SyFy television series of the same name, this is a movie depicting short scenes from a variety of historical periods, including the modern day. In Ms. Barclay’s opinion, the Roman sketch was by far the best, and is worth watching both for the plot and the historical details. Robin Williams stars.The Aeneid Onstage - Specifically, this article.
Before Colour Prejudice - a scholarly examination of racial attitudes in the ancient world

Certamen Petronianum II (Not Really Connecticut Related, but Please Consider It)

Nova Roma is seeking short stories set in the Roman Republic for an amateur historical fiction contest. Three winning stories will be published publicly on Nova Roma's website and the winning authors will be awarded the following prizes:

3rd Prize - A genuine, identifiable Roman coin, provided by C. Claudius Quadratus.

2nd Prize - An assortment of spices favored by the Romans, courtesy of Sibylla Ambrosia Fulvia, the proprietress of Auntie Arwen's Spice Shop.

A genuine, identifiable Roman coin, provided by C. Claudius Quadratus.

1st Prize - 3 days and nights of completely free accommodation in the Dea Diana Bed & Breakfast (please see details about this establishment at http://www.bbdeadiana.it/) , generously provided by C. Aurelius Vindex.

A genuine high-quality Roman coin, provided by C. Claudius Quadratus.

All entries must be submitted to <certamen.petronianum@gmail.com> by 17th November 2015. Submissions should include name and a mailing address.

Additional rules:

• The Certamen Petronianum is open to all writers without nationality restrictions. Authors under 18 may participate with the permission of a guardian.
• All entries will be judged anonymously.
• Entries for the Certamen Petronianum II must be tales set in ancient Rome, during the Republic.
• Entries must be written in English, and have a maximum length of 3000 words.
• Entrants may submit only one tale, and the entry must be accompanied by a completed entry form.
• Entries must be submitted in Word, RTF or plain text file. The tale shall contain no pictures.
• Each tale must be the original work of the author, and must not have been previously published or successfully entered in to other contests.
• The judges' decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
• By submitting your story, you give non-exclusive permission for it to be posted publicly on the Nova Roma website should it be selected as one of the top three stories. Nova Roma will not use your story for any purpose other than the above, and particularly not for sale, without further written permission from you. At no time will you lose access to your own copyright, and you retain the right to post, submit, or publish your story elsewhere as you see fit (although doing so prior to the announcement of the winning stories may result in disqualification).

Final judging will be done by author Jo Walton and Latinist A. Tullia Scholastica

Please see additional details at:

http://novaroma.org/nr/Certamen_Petronianum_II

 

No submission or reading fees.

The Scapegoat by Sophia Nikolaidou

Though it's a little off topic for this blog, I'd like to mention a recent translation borrowed from the Mary Cheney Library. This is a fictionized account of events in modern Greece during the Civil War and the current financial crisis.
Thing which really impressed me was how classically literate the high school students were, not only in Greek antiquity, but in Latin as well. The way that this is presented, it seems to be a faithful representation of the modern Greek educational system, which is showcased over the course of the novel, particularly its defects (much of the energy of the more devoted students is focused onto a single high-stakes test at the end of their high school career; student protests actually shut classes down for a day - to the shock of a visiting German tourist).

The Scapegoat

Nightside the Long Sun

This book was filled with Classical references, particularly religious ones. Here are a few:

Ides of March Meeting Highlights (Nova Britannia Ulterior)

1: 00 p.m. I found Marcus Audens and Gnaeus Floccus by the door. They were meeting for the first time. We discussed past experience within Nova Roma. Marcus Audens offered a suggestion to send certificates of citizenship to those residents of Nova Britannia who would like them. A similar program was well received in Sodalitas Militarum. M. Audens gave me a stack of prototype certificates, mentioning they could be further elaborated as desired. Computer issues were also discussed: M. Audens described the issues of the Nova Britannia web list and the possible solutions he has considered; Cn. Floccus mentions similar difficulty with modifying the wiki page, which requires updating.

            Once we got the agenda, we began with a short presentation by M. Audens. This consisted of a description of several model siege engines he is constructing, including one that can fire a dart several yards!

            The next point on our agenda was a discussion of the Etruscans, which quickly wandered to Rome’s ability to apply ideas in innovative ways, with the development of the arch being a key example. M. Audens pointed at the evolution from fairly uneven early arches to what we know today. Cn. Floccus mentioned the dome as another derivative of the arch, and the senator described the astonishing amount of weight a small model of the Pantheon was able to bear.

            Next we began a round of trivia. Each of us took coming up with obscure (or not so obscure) facts to question the others about. The final score (by my informal count) was Audens – 3 ½, Floccus – 1 ½, Paterculus – 1. This took us to about 2:30 p.m., over which time we also ordered appetizers & drinks.

            Following this, we offered a toast to Gaius Iulius Caesar. Cn. Floccus joking added, “May he live long.”

            We attempted to play tali using modern d4s and some rules I had printed off the internet. The substitution seemed to go well, but we were hampered by uncertainty of how to handle scoring or the number of rounds we were to play. M. Audens mentioned that the neck of a turkey could be boiled to create something resembling knucklebones.

            Cn. Floccus mentioned that he is a Latin teacher and currently studying Catullus. M. Audens mentioned some reading of Vegitus, Frontinus, Vitruvius, and Julius Caesar. We had already spoken about architecture, but we did talk somewhat about neoclassical architecture, both in Coventry and Ledyard, as well as around the world.

            We discussed the potential for a Make-&-Mend meeting such as M. Audens had suggested in the past, as well as the problem of distance. Cn. Floccus accepted the challenge of organizing activity in Massachusetts and expressed some interest in Legio II Cyrenaica.

            I left in some haste at 3 p.m., leaving behind all the money I’d brought for my share of the bill, which was not entirely covered.

Zenobia: Empress of the East: A Lyrical Literary Miracle: More Sappho (2 Updates...

   Over the past few days there have been numerous comments on the internet about two new poems by Sappho made public by Dr. Dirk Obbink of Oxford University. The most complete version of the story appears here:

Zenobia: Empress of the East: A Lyrical Literary Miracle: More Sappho (2 Updates...: The Tenth Muse Although they are only breath, words which I command are immortal .* So said Sappho over 2,600 years ago and time ...

The Throne of Zeus

   This review was originally written with Demian's Gamebook Web Page in mind, but since they already have several reviews of the book, it seemed more effective to share my thoughts here instead.
   The Throne of Zeus is surprisingly effective at putting a great deal of mythological material in a small space. Most of the transitions between myths feel natural rather forced and you can see several play out nearly in their entirety. Glaring inaccuracies in the myths themselves are few, although some of the premises are more than a little suspicious. (There were physical thrones for each of the gods on Olympus? The gods have more interest in humanity on the summer solstice than during the rest of the year?) One disappointment was that the branches from one starting myth is much shorter than from the other.
   There are a few opportunities for the reader's character to become (semi-)divine which some may view as impious.

Book Review: "After Rome" by Morgan Llywelyn

Since this is apparently the day I choose to link to literary reviews, I thought I might link to one of my own: a historical fiction review written for the Nova Britannia weblist. However, it turns out that some technical issue prevented it from reaching that group, so here is the full text:

  This work of historical fiction uses the writings of historians such as Gildas and Stephen Johnson to imagine life in Britain just after the recall of the Roman army. The novel alternates between two members of the Romanized provincial elite from the city of Viroconium, each trying to cope with the anarchy caused by Rome's departure, and perhaps become involved in the formation of a new society.
   Although the author takes time to show the the implications of contemporary international events, the characters and the interactions between them are given at least as much attention. Perhaps to emphasize the contrast between the two protagonists, the storyline of Cadogan revolves around his relationships to his father, the other citizens of Viroconium, and a stranger who comes to live with him, while that of Dinas looks more into the psychology of each of each of his allies and less into how they relate to him.
   The best points of this book, in my opinion, were the evolution of the conflict between Cadogan and his father Vintrex, the exploration of why each of companions of Dinas  follows him, and the scenes showing how ordinary lives were affected by the loss of imperial government. A cameo appearance by the semi-historical King Vortigern is also a nice touch. The main weakness was some clumsiness in introducing some of the background material, particularly toward the beginning. Cadogan's dealings with his unwelcome guest Quartilla seemed implausible to me, but some may think differently.
   This book would be a fair choice for non-experts interested in Late Antiquity/the Early Medieval Period, or even fans of post-Apocalyptic literature, of which this could almost be considered an example.

Foundations of Fantasy: The Odyssey

The Odyssey was written much as The Iliad was, in hexameter meant to be spoken aloud, though scholars commonly believe that it was written several decades later. It is the second-oldest book in western canon, after The Iliad... - From Foundations of Fantasy: The Odyssey

The Aeneid by Virgil

The Aeneid is The Iliad’s lesser-known younger brother. It was written by the Roman poet Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, 800 years after Homer. The story begins directly after the events of the Trojan War, following Aeneas, son of Venus, through his escape from fallen Troy to his arrival in Lavinium... - From The Aeneid by Virgil