Anything I can do?

[Anonymous]

I feel quite bored. Conversations seem to be progressing slowly, perhaps there are better ways to contribute to the college.

I am not as well educated on the finer points of the Religio as some here, but perhaps there is yet something I can offer. A personal essay or some such?

I'm open to suggestions. Thank you.

[Quintus Aurelius Orcus]

Salvete Urse
What had you in mind? We are open for suggestions? A personal essay is good but what would the topic be or would that be an open topci?
Please elaborate?
valete optime in pace deorum
Sokarus Aurelius Orcus

[Horatius Piscinus]

Salvete Urse et omnes

How about doing a little research?

When we read about the Religio Romana, there are not many books dedicated to the subject, and all of them quote from the same few Latin sources. Cicero, Ovid, Varro. Those may be found online. But there are some other sources it would be nice to find. Currently I am trying to locate a copy of the Grammatica Romanae Fragmenta, H. Funaioli, 1907 (reprint in 1967. In this book are fragments of Granius Flaccus' De Indigimenta, and other things, fragments of works not so readily available to the average reader among us.

One project we had going, still trying to do, is collecting prayers to the various gods by culling through Latin poets. We went through Horaces' Odes, Plautus' plays, a few from Ovid. But Granius Flaccus' De Indigitamenta was based on the pontifical formulae. So I would like to see directly what he may have written.

There are some other texts I am trying to locate as well, relating to augury. Some of these would also be in Funaioli's tome. If anyone happens to know a university near them with Funaioli's GRF that they could read on occasion for me, I would sure like to know.

Vale
Moravius Piscinus

[Horatius Piscinus]

Salvete etiam

It is always helpful to write a contribution for our website. That has been stalled recently too, but we are working on it. Doing some research and writing an article for our website is a great way to learn more. You can always select a favorite deity to do an article on, or a particular festival, or some other aspect of a religion. And I should remind everyone once more that the Collegium Religionis is not concerned with the Religio Romana alone. Anyone who has the knowledge and interest to do articles on other faiths that were in the Roman milieau are certainly welcomed to contribute to the website as well. We could use more balance on our website if someone would like to do some articles on early Christianity or first century Judaism, or on any of the mystery religions.

Currently I am researching on Roman marriages. Since I have been asked once more to perform a Roman wedding ceremony, we will soon have an article on Roman marriage forms and a suggested wedding ceremony for modern practitioners posted to our website. To complement that we could use some of our members researching and writing on Roman funerary rites, birthing rites, the male passage into manhood rites, Roman birthday celebrations,etc. There are many aspects on Roman daily religious life that we have never discussed on the list, and that we could certainly use articles on. How about an article on the tintinnabula and other charms that the Romans placed in their houses, something modern practitioners might like to incorporate today.

And for our lists, to generate discussion here, do not be shy about asking questions.

Valete
Moravius Piscinus

[Publius Dionysius Mus]

There are some other texts I am trying to locate as well, relating to augury. Some of these would also be in Funaioli's tome. If anyone happens to know a university near them with Funaioli's GRF that they could read on occasion for me, I would sure like to know.

Salve!

The book you mention is available in the library of the University of Ghent. Maybe our colleague Marcus Pomponius Lupus can get the book, it is located in the library of his department. It's the original version of 1907. The reprinted version of 1969 is available at the university of Leuven.

Vale bene

[Anonymous]

My research abilities are constrained by the fact I cannot read Latin beyond the few phrases and prayers I have memorized. Don't blame me, I wanted to learn. But working class public schools in the Unites States are not noted for their devotion to a classical education. But I know a few phrases in Spanish so I suppose I should consider that just recompense, eh?

I'll see if I can find anything worthy to contribute. I'll let you know.

[Quintus Aurelius Orcus]

Salvete
I have an idea that might bring some conversation to this collegium. Writing an essay is a good suggestion but how about writing an essay on an Etruscan deity(ies) of choice and than present it to this collegium with additional resources added to the essay (books, sites, etc..) It doesn't have to be a big essay just a paper about a deity or deities.
Because of most of these gods are equated with most Roman deities, it shouldn't be a real problem finding info on these deities. I will present a list that comes from the site Mythography at http://www.loggia.com/myth/myth.html. Here is the list:
Apulu: god of the arts (esp. poetry and music), archery and divination
Artamas: goddess of the hunt
Fufluns: god of wine and fertility
Menarva: goddess of wisdom, arts, war and craft
Tinia: god of the sky, ruler of the Etruscan pantheon
Turan: goddess of love and beauty
Turms: god of merchants
Uni: goddess of mariage
Ofcourse the Encyclopedia Mythica can provide a much bigger list not to mention our dear friend Piscinus.
It depends ofcourse if the rest agrees with me? What do you say, is it worth giving a try?
Valete optime in pace deorum

[Horatius Piscinus]

Salve Mus!

The book you mention is available in the library of the University of Ghent. Maybe our colleague Marcus Pomponius Lupus can get the book, it is located in the library of his department. It's the original version of 1907. The reprinted version of 1969 is available at the university of Leuven.

This is very good to hear. The thing is that while we go looking through the poets for prayers to the gods, Granius' book was suppose to have contained the formularies used by the pontifices. I would like to know if any of those remain in the fragments of Granius.

The other common sources for Roman formulas for prayer would be those found in Cato's De Agricultura, those in the Acta Fratum Arvalium, and then a few scattered about as in Livy. There is a problem with Cato's in that he was making inovations and the prayers he has, although perform in accordance with the formulae, were not prayers actually used in ancient times. The Acta has a similar problem in that it was a reconstructed cultus, not one carrying on a traditional cultus. Livy's examples, such as the formula used by the Fetiales, seem to have come from the pontifical books. I liked to learn if there are more examples of those.

Vale optime
Moravius Piscinus

[Marcus Pomponius Lupus]

Salvete,

I checked the library at the university, but unfortunately my departement doens't seem to have the book. The database they had only shows one book by this author and its a commentary on the works of Vergil.

Mus, any idea where it could be then ?

Valete bene
Lupus

[Horatius Piscinus]

Salve Lupe

I finally located a copy, and surprised it was so near, at Kent State University. In spite of our past with them, the university lent it to me long enough to make photo copies of most of it. Not exactly what I hoped to find but most useful.

Meanwhile, in my never ending quest for sources, I have picked up some more books, ordered others, and have been browsing through the ILS trying my hand at deciphering some inscriptions.

Vale optime
Moravius Piscinus