Famous Lovers

                               

  Lovers

February is a month of love with Valentine's Day,  cupids, candy, and flowers.

Romeo and Juliet is a famous love story by Shakespeare, but it is fiction.

Who were these two historical figures? What do we know about them?

Ladies First-Cleopatra:

She was Cleopatra the VII, but we drop off the Roman Numberal and know her as Cleopatra, the ruler of Egypt. She was a co-regent  ( at 18) with her brother PtolemyIII (age 10). As was the custom at the time, Cleopatra and her brother married and ruled together. He died while swimming in the Nile River. She married her next bother, Ptolemy XIV. After Rome took over Egypt, Cleopatra went to Rome to have an affair with Julius Caesar. They had a child whom she named Caesarion. Caesar did not recognize the boy as his son.  Cleopatra asked Julius Ceasar to kill her brother in Egypt, which he did. She returned to Egypt and ruled with her son under the Roman Empire. 

Some ancient scholars wrote that Cleopatra was an expert in botany and pharmacology. She was attractive, intelligent, and cultured, speaking several languages. She was the ruler of Egypt and commanded over 200 ships. 

Second-Mark Anthony

 He was the right-hand general in Julius Caesar's army. Julius Caesar was assassinated by Brutus and Cassius. Mark Anthony and Octavian, Caesar's nephew, defeated the assassins and their forces. Octavian and Anthony formed an alliance to take over Caesar's rule. Octavian took over Italy and other western territories, and Anthony was in charge of the eastern domains of the Roman Republic, which included Egypt.

Anthony summoned Cleopatra to Tarsus in 41 B.C. Anthony was married to Fulvia and had two children. They were Marcus Antonius Antylllus and Lullus Antonius.Fulvia knew of Mark Anthony's romance with Cleopatra. Fulvia died, and Cleopatra and Anthony had twins Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene II.  Later, they had a son named Ptolemy Philadelphus. However, Mark Anthony's relationship with Octavian was rocky, so he married Octavian's sister, Octavia. This did not stop him from playing dice games and hunting with Cleopatra. She also conspired with Mark Anthony to kill her sister ArsinoeIV.

The daughter, Cleopatra Selene II , later married a ruler in the northern African Territories

Some ancient scholars contend Mark Anthony and Cleopatra did marry in Egypt, but this was not recognized in Rome, where he was considered to be the husband of Octavia.

Together:

Now, Mark Anthony was the Queen of Egypt's consort, which gave him dominion over Egypt's power. The flooding of the Nile made Egypt a great source of wheat, and Egypt's trading routes across the Indian Ocean brought in the riches of black spices, incense, silks, and gems. Egypt's bringing stability in the East helped Anthony maintain control. 

And Cleopatra gained from her affair (or, some say, marriage). Mark Anthony ordered King Herod of Judea to collect an annual tribute of 200 talents from the king of Nabataea and give it to Cleopatra. King Herod the Great had to grant Cleopatra the Dead Sea bitumen deposits. The bitumen was used for caulking ships and baskets and for embalming mummies. Mark Anthony also ordered King Herod to grant agricultural land near Jericho, which produced harvests of date palms. He also gifted to her areas noted for timber production used for building ships.

When Mark Anthony divorced Octavian's sister, Octavia, it infuriated Octavian, who now was called Caesar Augustus. Caesar knew the Senate would not approve a war against Mark Anthony, so he declared war against Cleopatra.

She supplied Mark Anthony with 200 talents from the royal treasury, food, ships, and other supplies to fight Octavian. 

Octavian won at the Battle of Actium and annexed Egypt. Cleopatra and Mark Anthony fled to Alexandria, and Ocativian followed. Mark Anthony killed himself with a sword, and Cleopatra had a poisonous snake bite her. Some scholars contend she used poison rather than a snake.  

Her son, Caesarion, whom she had with Julius Caesar, was killed by Octavian Augustus. Octavian was Augustus Caesar, the ruler of all his territory, including Mark Anthony's and Egypt. 

Mark Anthony and Cleopatra's love affair was used for political advantage and to strengthen their power. But it all fell apart when Otavian had enough after his sister getting divorced.

This famous love affair proved to be disastrous for them and the way they are remembered in history; however, it unified the powers of Rome. 

                                                                 Star Crossed Lovers

                            (Was it love or was it politics or both?)

February Days Day 3-10

                     February is a Busy Month of Celebrations

There are many, many celebrations and observations for February. I chose a few from the 3rd through the 10th to highlight.

February 3 has

Doggy Date Night (?)

Elmo's Birthday

Feed the Birds Day  (This I can do)

National Carrot Cake Day (I hope to get a slice. Yum)

National Cordova Ice Worm Day (?)

National Missing Person's Day

National Ssickie Day 

February 4th has

Create a Vacuum Day (How?)

Rosa Parks Day (celebrated in California and Missouri)

Western Monarch Day ( Is this for butterflies or people?)

World Nutella Day

 February 6th has:

National Chopsticks Day (I have some so I can use them.)

National Lame Duck Day (Does it mean politics or a real lame duck?)

National Frozen Yogurt Day (Yum!)

National Optimist Day (Fun!)

National Valentine Shopping Reminder Day (Humm, Guess who wanted this day?)

Pay a Compliment Day (Agree)

Time to Talk Day (Easy)

February 7th has:

Bubble Gum Day

National Fettuccine Alfredo Day 

Give Kids a Smile Day

National Periodic Table Day (This must be important. My niece, Lily, memorized it in 3rd or 4th grade. Just for fun.)

National Send a Card to a Friend Day

Number Day (?)

Wave All Your Fingers At Your Neighbors Day

Laugh and Get Rich Day

National Kite Flying Day

National Molasses Bar Day (It comes in bars?)

Propose Day (A busy day for men and women.)

February 9th has:

Chocolate Day

National Bagel and Lox Day

National Cut the Cord Day

National Pizza Day (This I can get behind.)

National Toothache Day (Why! I'm not celebrating this one.)       

Read in the Bathtub Day ( I can't. I've showers, not bathtubs. But I can read many other places.)

February 10th has:

All the News That's Fit to Print Day

International Cribbage Day

National Clean Out Your Computer Day

National Cream Cheese Brownie Day

National Flannel Day ( Feb. can be cold.)

Oatmeal Monday Day (What if the 10th isn't a Monday?)

Sick of Food Waste Day

Valentismas Day (I don't know what this is.)

World Pulses Day (?)

Thes a few Days for February. Will you honor by celebrating any of these momenteous events. 

More Days ahead.  Have fun and read, read, and read. That is the most fun. 

Reading, and not in a bathtub. 

February Days

You Choose Celebrations in February!

In the past, I have posted about Black History, Valentines, and Groundhogs. But there is so much more to celebrate.

 Here is a list of Holidays and Observances for February 1st.

Change Your Password Day

Medjool Date Day

Decorating With Candy Day

National Hemp Day

First Day of Black History Month

National Homemade Soup Day

Ice Cream For Breakfast Day (sad I missed out on this)

National Stuffed Mushroom Day

International Pisco Sour Day

National Thank A Mail Carrier Day

National Baked Alaska Day

National Sweater Day

National Dark Chocolate Day

National Wicker Day

National Get Up Day  (I did do this)

Quacker Day

National Freedom Day

National Serpent Day (Glad I missed this, but it does fit for the New Lunar Year)

Torture Abolition Day

Robinson Crusoe Day

Transit Equity Day

Spunky Old Broads Day (I wonder if it would include me)

USO Day

Take Your Child To the Library Day

World Cancer Day

World Hijab Day

Now On To February 2nd. Now you can prepare to celebrate.

Global School Play Day

2 FA Day

National Chocolate Fondue Day (This sounds good to me)

AYN Rand Day (?)                                      

National Girls and Women in Sports Day

Candlemas Day

National Signing Day

Crepe Day (I love crepes)

World Read Aloud Day (I can do this)

I read aloud to my dog. However, he is not brown.

Groundhog Day (I covered this in a previous posting)

Marmot Day (I'm told marmots taste delicious. Haven't tried it)

National Brown Dog Day  (What about the other colors?)

National Catchers Day

National Hedgehog Day

National River Day

National Sled Dog Day

National Tater Tot Day ( I could celebrate this happily)

Record of a Sneeze Day (Is there a record of sneezes?)

Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day

Scout Sunday

Self-Renewal Day

World Wetlands Day

This is all for now. More will be posted another time.  Celebrating in February sounds exhausting. 

Auld Lang Syne

                                                 Auld Lang Syne

Rober Burns is credited as the author of this song. However, there is a trail of history that attributes the song to being written by others. 

The lyrics were first in the Scots' language. The title is Old Lang Since in English. The words could also be interrupted as Since Long Ago and For Old Times' Sake.

The song does not mention the new year. 

The words were written in 1788 but not published until 1796, after Robert Burns's death. Burns said he heard the song "from an old man's singing." 

Sir Robert Ayton wrote a poem entitled Old Long Syne, published in 1711. Allan Ramsay published a poem in 1720 with the line "Should auld acquaintance be forgot."

William Shield composed the melody for his opera Rosina, performed in 1782. Another version was published in 1792.

In 1799, words and melody appeared together in a Scottish song. In the 19th century, it became a song for the Scottish Hogmanay (New Year's celebration).

Scottish Version                                                                                         English Version

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,                                     Should old acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?                                                And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,                                    Should old acquaintance be forgot,

And auld lang syne?                                                             And old lang syne?

(Chorus)                                                                                (Chorus)

For auld lang syne, my jo,                                                    For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne,                                                                 For auld lang syne,

We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,                                           We'll take a cup of kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.                                                              For auld lang syne.

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp!                                   And surely you'll buy your pint cup!

And surely I'll be mine!                                                     And surely I'll buy mine!

And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,                                  And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.                                                             For auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes                                       We two have run about the slopes,

And pu'd the gowans fine;                                                And picked the daisies fine;

But we've wander'd mony a weary foot                           But we've wandered many a weary foot,

Sin auld lang syne.                                                           Since auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl'd i' the burn,                                       We two have paddled in the stream,

Frae mornin' sun till dine;                                               From morning sun till dine;

But seas between us braid hae roar'd                               But seas between us broad have roared

Sin auld lang syne.                                                            Since auld lang syne.

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!                                 And there's a hand my trusty friend!

And gie's a hand o' thine!                                                  And give me a hand o' thine!

And we'll tak a right guid willy waught,                           And we'll take a right good-will draught,

For auld lang syne.                                                             For auld lang syne. 

To start 2025 on a good note, everyone can download ebooks from Project Gutenberg. They have 70,000 ebooks covering children's, fiction, nonfiction, classics, and modern books in all genres. All downloads are free. If you wish, you can make a donation, but none is required. I downloaded Charles Dicken's Bleak House.

I wish for you a very Happy and Blessed New Year and a Happy and Blessed all the days of 2025.

Controversy Over Date of Jesus's Birth

                Picture of an ancient calendar 

                     When was Jesus Born? 

The Bible books of Matthew and Luke do not say what month, day, or year the Savior's birth occurred. Bible scholars tried to determine the facts but could only theorize about possibilities. Individual births were not recorded during this time period, only major events.

Christians started celebrating Christ's birth about 400 years after His birth. Some people thought it was March 28, November 18, or January 6. Some churches use January 6, which is also the day they celebrate the visit by the Wise Men.

Early church scholars thought December 25 should be the day of celebration to influence the people who were enjoying the Roman celebration of Saturnalia and move them away from pagan worship.

Luke records the angels telling the shepherds, "Unto you this day," but does not say the day or month. Some scholars say this indicates the month of March, as the sheep and lambs were in the field with the Spring grass. Some Bible scholars think if the sheep were used in temple sacrifices, they would be in the fields all year.

Matthew says Jesus was born when Herod the Great was king of Jerusalem. Luke says that Quirinius was the governor of Syria and Caesar Augustus was the Roman emperor. Putting all that together, Jesus would have been born between 1 and 10 B.C. 

Notice that it is B.C., before Christ, and not A.D. That may be due to the monk Dionysius Exiguus.

He invented the calendar that counts years of B.C. or A.D. from when he calculated Christ's birth, and he was off by 4 years. 

The shepherds may not have cared what the month, day, or year was, only that it was the day the angels said, "...unto you this day," Their day to meet the Savior. 

As Christians, the day, month, or year is not essential. December 25th is an excellent time to celebrate the birth of God in human form. Hallelujah, Christ is born. 

Messiah

              Advent and the Messiah And                                                 "Libretto" 

George Frideric Handel was born in Germany but later went to Italy to write operas and then to England. This spelling of Frideric is correct. Handel later added the h to the end of his name. 

He became King George I's favorite composer.

He was asked to write a piece for a fundraising concert in Dublin, Ireland. The concert would benefit three charities, two hospitals, and a jail.

It was to be an Easter celebration. Handel, it is said, wrote the entire work from August 22 to September 14, 1741. He hardly slept or ate. His servant would bring him his morning food and find him crying. The original manuscript has tear stains and can be seen in the Coram Foundation in London. 

The words are from his friend Charles Jennens, who used Old and New Testament verses. They cover the life of Christ from His birth to death and resurrection. The word Libretto means book of words for operas, etc. 

The first concert was advertised, and the notice asked the gentlemen not to wear their swords (forty-inch swords were used for fashionable dress) and the ladies not to wear their hoops in their fancy dresses. It was feared there would not be enough room for everyone at the theatre. They were correct. It was a huge success. 

Handel conducted the orchestra and singers. There are believed to have been less than twenty singers, and the instruments differed in his day. 

During his lifetime, he conducted or played an instrument and always for charity, every year. 

Today, the parts dealing with Christ's birth and the Hallelujah Chorus are played and sung for Advent.

Messiah means "anointed one" from the Hebrew word Mashiah, and Christ is the Greek word for Mashiah.

It is believed that Messiah has been performed at least once somewhere every year. 

I listen to the Advent part of Messiah on a78 record. I'm sure a live concert would be more powerful.

Whether you celebrate Advent or not, the Messiah music is a joy to hear. 

Blessed Advent to you all. 

Advent

What is Advent? Where did it come from?

The word Advent comes from the Latin word adventus. It is four weeks of preparation for the Christmas celebration and the second coming of Jesus. In the Eastern Churches, the Nativity Fast starts 40 days before Christmas. 

The first record of the Nativity Fast was during Bishop Perpetuus of Tours (462-490), and the Council of Tours mentioned an Advent in 567.

The traditional color for Advent is violet, but Protestant denominations use blue or purple. The fourth Sunday is rose-colored Vestments and candles.

Christian homes use a wreath with four candles, three violet and one rose color. However, some use white candles.

The tradition began in the 19th century but was rooted in the 16th. In the 16th, the wreath was made of fir tree branches with 24 candles to represent the 24 days before Christmas. That became awkward, so it was changed to four candles for four weeks.

The first candle symbolizes hope, the second is for peace, the third is for joy, and the last candle is for love.

The Advent calendar has 24 openings, so one can be opened each day beginning December 1.  Tradition says the calendar idea began in Munich, Germany, in the 19th century. A mother grew tired of her children's endless questions, "How long before Christmas?" The first commercial calendars were printed in Germany in 1851.