Among the many things that the Romans have left us no less important is the calendar with the names of the months, days and seasons. To understand the logic and coherence of the names “september= September; october= October; november= November and december= December,” which etymologically means “seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth” we must know that the primitive Roman year had ten months and began in March.
The fascinating source of the word “fascinating”
Sometimes we are “fascinated”, attracted, impressed, or touched (touché in French) to find out the origin of a word, as if as we removed the curtain we could look at what was behind or buried in the deepest part of valley. That is the strength of the etymology of the words, the knowledge of which provides us basic information on which their later extended meaning sits.
With the ships on the shoulders
Apollonius of Rhodes gave us the only Greek epic poem that is conserved from Homer to the Hellenistic period, “The journey of the Argonauts”. Five centuries have passed and many things have changed. If Homer’s gods mingle with the heroes in their struggle, now the work is of men, although the gods, powerful, influence, help but do not mix with them. Actually the poem seems more like a novel and as such should be read.
Alma mater
Among the many phrases, sentences, Latin maxims that survive in the cultural wealth of the West there are some that have been particularly fortunate. One of them is definitely “alma mater”.
God “Terminus” is the guarantor of private property of the field
Terminus is a Roman god who sets the boundaries of the fields and cities and is also at the crossroads. He is represented as a rectangular stone block whose top is usually included head of Hermes or Mercury. It is also sometimes depicted with male genitalia, given its apotropaic character to “turn away” harm or evil influences. So he is called Hermes.
Pygmalion
Pygmalion is a Greek myth constantly reinterpreted
The deep caves surprise and attract devout and believer men
Some natural areas, whether by their hidden beauty, by their silence or by their depth that sink in the bowels of the earth, seem to emanate a strong attraction to humans. Of these places the caves have a special force. Not surprisingly the man dwelt in them during the long night of their childhood as a species.
Apollonius of Rhodes, Giovanni Papini, Luis Buñuel
Is it possible to establish a connection between Apollonius of Rhodes, the writer Giovanni Papini and filmmaker Buñuel? Was Buñuel inspired by Papini in a famous sequence of a famous film of his? Had Papini read Apollonius?
Lynceus eyes
“Lynx eyes” is an Spanish phrase (equivalent to “eagle eyes”) that applies to a person of view particularly acute or especially clever and insightful understanding, ie. a crafty person.
The days of the week are pagan
Christ was born in the time of Emperor Augustus, although a probable error of four years in relation to the official chronology. In early, Christianity was unnoticed in Rome, confused with Judaism and its various sects, but it had then a remarkable success for expansion to become the official religion and finish the traditional pagan religion off.