In the famous stories – ILIAD and ODYSSEY – the ancient form of prayer is noted when Odysseus prays on ship; he outstretches his arms with palms open upward to the sky. The Roman Catholic priest when reading the oration at Holy Mass assumes this posture. In antiquity people prayed in this ‘orans’ position. Orans …
The word for today is SALARY. A SALARY is a fixed amount of compensation for services paid to a person on a regular basis. The Latin word – SALARIUM – means – MONEY GIVEN TO ROMAN SOLDIERS TO BUY SALT. One of the earliest and purest materials used in ancient commerce was common salt. It …
The word for today is VICTIM from the Latin – VICTIMA – meaning AN ANIMAL CHOSEN FOR SACRIFICE. The Romans, by tradition, made animal sacrifices to appease the gods. On occasion, a pure white lamb was selected, bulls or oxen at other celebrations. The Romans, like many other ancient people, believed that sacrifices had to …
POST MORTEM – AFTER DEATH. The great events of an ancient Roman’s life were not politics and war, but anxious births, festal marriages, and somber deaths. Old age was not then the abandoned desolation that so often darkens it in an individualistic age. The young never questioned their duty to care for the old; the …
The word of the season is – POLITICS – which comes from the Greek word – POLIS – meaning – CITY, CITIZEN. POLICE, POLICY, POLITICAL also come from this word. COSMOPOLITE – comes from the Greek – COSMOS – meaning – WORLD, and refers to a well traveled person. COSMOPOLITAN is the adjectival form describing …
Did you know that the Roman mile was one thousand paces (mille passus), close to 1620 yards (1480 meters or 4860 feet). The mile as measured in the United States and Great Britain is 1760 yards ( 1610 meters or 5280 feet). Try this out: pace off a thousand paces on a running track whose …
The word for today is – PLACEBO. Doctors may prescribe a placebo for certain patients.| Scientific research and studies use placeboes in experiments to test the effectiveness of a drug. It is a substance containing no medication and prescribed or given to reinforce a patient’s expectation to get well. Surprisingly, it is the 1st person …
The word for today is MYSTERY. The various religions of the world have mysteries. A mystery is something that is not fully understood or that baffles or eludes understanding. A religious cult practices secret rites to which only initiates are admitted. When the cult of the Egyptian goddess, ISIS, came into the ROMAN mainland it …
The word for today is – DATE – which refers to the time a thing happens, the day of the month or an appointment or social engagement. In ancient Rome written letters began with the words – DATA ROMAE – GIVEN AT ROME on the Kalends of March or on the Ides of May etc. …
The word HISTORY – which means A NARRATIVE OF EVENTS comes from the Greek – HISTOREIN – TO ENQUIRE and then, HISTOR – A LEARNED MAN. The word HISTRIONICS – which means – RELATING TO ACTORS, PERFORMERS, comes from the Latin (ultimately from ETRUSCAN) – HISTRIO – ACTOR or PERFORMER. THE Etruscans inhabited that section …
