Quick question
Posted:
Sun Jun 06, 2004 12:22 amby Curio Agelastus
Salvete omnes,
Just thought I'd commemorate my promotion to Cornicen by asking what a Cornicen actually is?
Bene valete,
Marcus Scribonius Curio Britannicus.
Cornicen
Posted:
Sun Jun 06, 2004 3:16 amby Aldus Marius
((( Curio!! )))
Congratulations are, indeed, in order, and you now have mine. You have become one of the Legion's musicians. Specifically, you're the fellow with that magnificent C-shaped horn on your shoulder. You summon the men to breakfast, to drills, to assemblies, to bed, and all the other occasions in their daily lives nowadays commemorated by an Army bugler. Your tones mark the shift changes of the watch; your signals are often the only way the men know what's going on in battle and what they need to be doing there. You have companions, perhaps as many as two per Cohort; some of these are tubicines (sing. tubicen) who blow a straight horn rather than your curved cornu (so called for its resemblance to a ram's horn). You may also perform such administrative tasks as your signifer (standard-bearer; you work for him) may choose to delegate to you.
Again, te gratulor, amice bon'; camp life just wouldn't be the same without you!! >({|;-)
In amicitia,
Posted:
Sun Jun 06, 2004 10:39 pmby Curio Agelastus
Salve mi Mari!
Many thanks for your congratulations and your explanation both! I've always been more of a drummer than brass instrument player - I shall endeavour to wake up the troops with style though.
You did, however, miss a great opportunity to tell me that a Cornicen was a cess-pit digger, or some other delightful activity...
Bene vale,
Marcus Scribonius Curio Britannicus.
Cornicen
Posted:
Sun Jun 06, 2004 11:18 pmby Aldus Marius
> You did, however, miss a great opportunity to tell me that a Cornicen was a cess-pit digger,
> or some other delightful activity...
Salve iterum, mi Curio!
Na, I could not have made such an assertion without dishonoring myself in the same breath; for I, too, hold the rank of Cornicen, at least 'til I've made another 50-odd posts. (Some of them may be very odd.)
Besides...how could you be a cesspool-digger, now that you've left the Pile?? [feg] --Te gratulor, btw, and you were much less toxic than you had the right to be. A true Roman in your restraint!
In amicitia,