Today's selection (which I almost forgot!):

amalgamate @ Merriam-Webster

incogitant @ Wordsmith

consuetudinary @ Worthless Word for the Day

::Wednesday, March 23, 2005 5:15:15 AM::
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ante diem x kalendas apriles

• Festival of Mars continues (day 23)
• Tubilustrum -- as part of the general military preparations which are associated with the festival of Mars, the 'war horns' (tubae) were ritually cleaned
• Quinquatrus (day 5) -- final day of the gladiator fest

::Wednesday, March 23, 2005 5:12:46 AM::
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De nova Sinarum lege  (18.3.2005)

Parlamentum Sinarum, qui et congressus popularis nuncupatur et ex tribus fere milibus legatorum parlamentarium constat, paene omnium consensu legem ambiguam comprobavit, quae exercitui Sinensi licentiam dat Taivaniam aggrediendi, si illa insula se sui iuris renuntiaverit.

Nova lex eo spectat, ut Sinenses, qui Taivaniam pro una e suis provinciis habent, integritatem patriae suae etiam vi adhibita tueri possint.

Wen Jiabao, princeps minister Sinarum, moderatores Civitatum Americae Unitarum monuit, ne relationibus Sinensium et Taivanianorum mutuis ullo modo se immiscerent.

Reijo Pitkäranta
Nuntii Latini, Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE)
(used with permission)

::Wednesday, March 23, 2005 5:06:26 AM::
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::Wednesday, March 23, 2005 5:00:20 AM::
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Somehow, Greek tragedy as puppetry seems to work for me ... from the New York Times:

Theodora Skipitares puts her large-scale puppetry to potent use in her adaptation of Euripides' "Iphigenia" at La MaMa E.T.C. Using five-foot bunraku-style puppets strapped to actors, Ms. Skipitares retells this familiar Greek tragedy of a father's sacrifice of his daughter. Her trademark mix of puppets and humans creates a moving miniature of the larger-than-life myth. And the innate theatricality of puppet spectacle is particularly well suited to this melodramatic material.

The cast, dressed in dark brown with veiled faces, are adept at manipulating the stark, simplified puppets. But since each puppeteer is visible (and at certain high points in the drama, unveiled), the human figures simultaneously function as shadows or doubles for each puppet, mirroring and magnifying both words and actions.

Ms. Skipitares's version of the play begins with Agamemnon's slaying a deer, which turns out to be from the goddess Artemis's sacred flock. Years later, as retribution, Artemis has becalmed the harbor of Aulis so that the Greek fleet, set to avenge Agamemnon's brother Menelaus, whose wife, Helen, has run away with Paris, is unable to sail to Troy. Agamemnon is told by a seer that the only thing that will appease Artemis is the sacrifice of Iphigenia, and he tricks his wife, Clytemnestra, into sending the girl to Aulis by telling her that he has arranged a marriage between Iphigenia and Achilles. At the last minute, he tries to reverse his decision, but his change of heart comes too late, and Iphigenia's sacrifice is inevitable.

Carolyn Goelzer, as Clytemnestra, brings human-scale grief and rage to her puppet's performance, wedding dancerly moves to vocal anguish. Sonja Perryman, as Iphigenia, is a fresh presence in the only part played by an actor sans puppet, and her transformation into a willing martyr is poignant.

Nicky Paraiso, as the "humanette" in the bunch (an actor with puppet limbs but a human face), manages to be droll as an old slave and messenger; he is also Menelaus-as-puppet. And John Benoit plays the thankless role of Agamemnon (a puppet in more ways than one) with befitting ferocity. Chris Maresca, as Achilles, is not exactly Brad Pitt, but he imbues his charming puppet self with a certain youthful swagger that provides the evening's lighter moments. [more]

::Wednesday, March 23, 2005 4:59:04 AM::
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A tongue-in-cheek summaryish thing from the Charlotte Observer:

Today's entry in your clip-'n'-save Encyclopedia OutFrontica is: Achilles. File it under "T" for "Time wounds all heels."

When Achilles was a baby, his mama dipped him in the River Styx, except for his heel, which she hit with rocks. And sure enough, neither Styx nor stones could break his bones. He was invulnor ... invulnar ... he was real tough.

Achilles became a mighty warrior. He was a very macho dude, except for the fact that he was inclined to pout. Also, his mother dressed him like a girl.

Then Odysseus talked him into joining the siege of Troy. Achilles led the fearless Myrmidons, who marched into battle singing their blood-chilling war song: "My Myrmidon tol' me, when I was in knee pants, my Myrmidon tol' me, son. ... "

But Paris, prince of Troy, said "Achilles needs a killin', and we're just the chillun to give Achilles a killin', the villain." It rhymed better in Trojan.

In keeping with his name, Paris made Achilles eat snails and then insulted him to death. Then Troy was leveled (hence the word "des-TROY"), and they all became famous:

Achilles got a tendon named after him, the Trojans had condoms named for them, Paris had a city named for him and the Greeks came to America and opened Italian restaurants.

::Wednesday, March 23, 2005 4:57:18 AM::
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::Wednesday, March 23, 2005 4:51:01 AM::
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::Wednesday, March 23, 2005 4:48:35 AM::
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Frances Young And Lewis Ayres And Andrew Louth, eds., The Cambridge History of Early Christian Literature, Review of Biblical Literature

(pdf)

::Wednesday, March 23, 2005 4:41:41 AM::
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8.00 p.m. |HINT|  The Forgotten Civilizations of Anatolia
Throughout the course of history, many great civilizations have flourished in the area we now identify as Turkey, which forms a natural bridge between Europe and Asia. Join us on a virtual tour of Gordiyon (also known as Gordium), the domain of King Midas, Hattusa, the famous Hittite capital with its spectacular royal citadel, and the later cities ruled by the Greeks during the days of the Byzantine Empire. Using state-of-the-art computer technology and the latest in archaeological exploration, we walk viewers through ancient sites along with the citizens of the time. 

8.30 p.m. |HINT| Travels through Greece
By the 2nd century AD, Greece had long been steeped in myth, tradition, and a rich history that made it a major tourist destination even then. In this episode, we travel with a Roman senator as he journeys to artistic and cultural treasures of Greece, including Corinth's welcoming agora (the center of civic activity), the acoustically perfect Theater at Epidaurus, and the famous sporting competitions and chariot races of Olympia, as well as its majestic Temple of Zeus. Experience the cutting edge of archaeological exploration as we explore these celebrated ancient sites and see them as only the original inhabitants could.

9.00 p.m. |DTC| Hannibal
No shortlist of the greatest generals in history would be complete without the name of Hannibal, who was both feared and respected by his enemies. Hannibal's tactical genius is illustrated with exciting dramatic reconstructions of his victories.

HINT = History International

DTC = Discovery Times Channel

::Wednesday, March 23, 2005 4:39:26 AM::
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