About Minerva:
She was the goddess of war, wisdom, and arts, such as spinning,
weaving, music, and especially of the pipe. In a word, she was patroness of all
those sciences which render men useful to society and themselves, and entitle
them to the esteem of posterity.
She is described by the poets, and
represented by the sculptors and painters in a standing attitude, completely
armed, with a composed but smiling countenance, bearing a golden breast-plate, a
spear in her right hand, and the Aegis in her left, having on it the head of
Medusa, entwined with snakes. Her helmet was usually encompassed with olives, to
denote that peace is the end of war, or rather because that tree was sacred to
her: at her feet is generally placed the owl or the cock, the former being the
emblem of wisdom, and the latter of war.
Minerva represents wisdom, that
is, skilful knowledge joined with discreet practice, and comprehends the
understanding of the noblest arts, the best accomplishments of the mind,
together with all the virtues, but more especially that of chastity. She is said
to be born of Jupiter's brain, because the ingenuity of man did not invent the
useful arts and sciences, which, on the contrary, were derived from the fountain
of all wisdom. She was born armed, because the human soul, fortified with wisdom
and virtue, is invincible; in danger, intrepid; under crosses, unbroken; in
calamities, impregnable.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
About Diana
About Diana:
Of all the various characters of this goddess, there is no one more known than that of her presiding over woods, and delighting in hunting. The Diana Venatrix, or goddess of the chase, is frequently represented as running on, with her vest flying back with the wind, notwithstanding its being shortened, and girt about her for expedition. She is tall of stature, and her face, though so very handsome, is something manly. Her feet are sometimes bare, and sometimes adorned with a sort of buskin, which was worn by the huntresses of old. She often has a quiver on her shoulder, and sometimes holds a javelin, but more usually her bow, in her right hand. It is thus she makes her appearance in several of her statues, and it is thus the Roman poets describe her, particularly in the epithets they give this goddess, in the use of which they are so happy that they often bring the idea of whole figures of her into your mind by a single word. The statues of this Diana were very frequent in woods: she was represented there in all the different ways they could think of; sometimes as hunting, sometimes as bathing, and sometimes as resting herself after her fatigue. The height of Diana's stature is frequently marked out in the poets, and that, generally, by comparing her with her nymphs.
Of all the various characters of this goddess, there is no one more known than that of her presiding over woods, and delighting in hunting. The Diana Venatrix, or goddess of the chase, is frequently represented as running on, with her vest flying back with the wind, notwithstanding its being shortened, and girt about her for expedition. She is tall of stature, and her face, though so very handsome, is something manly. Her feet are sometimes bare, and sometimes adorned with a sort of buskin, which was worn by the huntresses of old. She often has a quiver on her shoulder, and sometimes holds a javelin, but more usually her bow, in her right hand. It is thus she makes her appearance in several of her statues, and it is thus the Roman poets describe her, particularly in the epithets they give this goddess, in the use of which they are so happy that they often bring the idea of whole figures of her into your mind by a single word. The statues of this Diana were very frequent in woods: she was represented there in all the different ways they could think of; sometimes as hunting, sometimes as bathing, and sometimes as resting herself after her fatigue. The height of Diana's stature is frequently marked out in the poets, and that, generally, by comparing her with her nymphs.
History for hunting
Tools for Hunting:
When one goes hunting (especially during the time period that Pliny lived) it was imperative to bring a spear. The spear was a kind of weapon they had that was used to hunting. It was a good thing Pliny brought the spear--that was the tool he most likely used to capture those three beautiful wild boars. (The spear was also used for fighting during the Roman wars). The spear could be used for multiple items such as catching fish or killing a wild animal. It was also important to bring a net with you, which Pliny did. The net could have been used for holding the food that was caught, or it could be used to trap an animal. Another item that would have been useful if Pliny had brought it with him would be the bow-and-arrow. This also a battle weapon, which is not commonly used in this day and age. The bow-and-arrow would have been helpful to catch prey from afar--without getting too close to the animal.
When one goes hunting (especially during the time period that Pliny lived) it was imperative to bring a spear. The spear was a kind of weapon they had that was used to hunting. It was a good thing Pliny brought the spear--that was the tool he most likely used to capture those three beautiful wild boars. (The spear was also used for fighting during the Roman wars). The spear could be used for multiple items such as catching fish or killing a wild animal. It was also important to bring a net with you, which Pliny did. The net could have been used for holding the food that was caught, or it could be used to trap an animal. Another item that would have been useful if Pliny had brought it with him would be the bow-and-arrow. This also a battle weapon, which is not commonly used in this day and age. The bow-and-arrow would have been helpful to catch prey from afar--without getting too close to the animal.
Summary with a notebook
Summary:
I promise you, that you will laugh at this, and it is fitting that you should do so. I, who you know, have captured three beautiful wild boars. "You yourself?", you might ask. "Yes, myself", I would answer; I indulged in my laziness and lack of skill and rested for awhile. I sat close to the net; I was not close to the lance or the spear (the tools necessary for hunting), but with the stylus and the pen. I was composing something and marked out on the notebook, so that if I went back empty handed, I would still have a full notebook. It is okay if I went home empty handed, because it is better to have knowledge than to have nothing at all. There is no reason to disregard what I am doing right now. It is strange, I often wondered, how the mind is aroused by the movement of the body. All the sides of the forests and the wilderness are large, this silence is welcomed to strengthen the mind and to write. Therefore, I advise you, with the hunting, it is permitted to bring a tablet and a lark, also a basket and a bottle. You will find that Minerva loves to wander on the hunts quite as much as Diana. Hope you laughed out loud to this. Farewell.
I promise you, that you will laugh at this, and it is fitting that you should do so. I, who you know, have captured three beautiful wild boars. "You yourself?", you might ask. "Yes, myself", I would answer; I indulged in my laziness and lack of skill and rested for awhile. I sat close to the net; I was not close to the lance or the spear (the tools necessary for hunting), but with the stylus and the pen. I was composing something and marked out on the notebook, so that if I went back empty handed, I would still have a full notebook. It is okay if I went home empty handed, because it is better to have knowledge than to have nothing at all. There is no reason to disregard what I am doing right now. It is strange, I often wondered, how the mind is aroused by the movement of the body. All the sides of the forests and the wilderness are large, this silence is welcomed to strengthen the mind and to write. Therefore, I advise you, with the hunting, it is permitted to bring a tablet and a lark, also a basket and a bottle. You will find that Minerva loves to wander on the hunts quite as much as Diana. Hope you laughed out loud to this. Farewell.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)