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 1st.
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.
