JULY 30 th :
Consuls speech Closing
CONSULS SPEECH :
Pompeia
Minucia Strabo Consul Quiritibus Novae Romae S.P.D.
Another Ludi Victoria has come to an end. Another page in the history of our
Republic..a memory of us celebrating a very important aspect of both the lives
of the Ancients and our lives today, that aspect being the spiritual component.
This component is a mystery... Does any one of us have a complete handle on
spiritual and religious matters? Although we have many in NR who are learned in
these areas , I nonetheless think a safe bet is 'no'......yet..... neither did
the Romans of old; what they 'did' know, obviously, is that this pursuit was a
key element of life, which in turn was the most important grain of knowledge
they could posess in all of this..
The Romans of the old republic were a mighty people, but they were quick to
admit when they didn't have all the answers; in humility and faith they would
look beyond their own means and ask for assistance.
Roman history has landmark accounts of their enlisting the assistance of the
Gods and Goddesses, sometimes consulting the Sybilline Books for help in their
most challenging plights. And in this particular festival just behind us, we
celebrated Victoria as the Ancients did. For those who are new to NR, festivals
are held to honour others, such as the Magna Mater, Ceres, Apollo...these
celebrations being either on line or in a face-to-face setting.
On behalf of both Consuls, a special thank you is extended to the Curule Aediles
and their respective Cohors for their sacrifice of time and research in
presenting such a beautiful festival. And our congratulations to the victors of
the various games and contests of this Ludi.
Somewhat related but digressing a little, I would like to share with you a
story... of an event which has rather touched me, and I doubt very much it would
have happened had it not been for my affiliation with Nova Roma. And it seemed
to defy all odds in its outcome. I rather consider it a mystery of sorts.
See what you think.
During a gathering in Canada Orientalis in 2002, a ritual to one of the
Provincia Patron Deities,Ceres, was performed by Valeria Secunda, assisted by
her husband Festus. Since Valeria doesn't reside in the provincia, it was
decided that someone living in Canada Orientalis should inter some items used in
the ceremony..... a small bundle of wheat, a wine bottle from the wine she used
for libation, etc.
I had just purchased a couple of trees, and I live next to a public field, so I
said that I would inter these items for the provincia under a tree in good
faith, myself being Governor at the time. ( I am appreciative of the Religio but
I am not a practitioner of the Religio Privata,so I apologize if my religious
descriptions seem a little 'off'). So, a Japanese Maple was planted just a
couple of feet off my property in public provincia land for this purpose. The
second of my trees, a Japanese Maple also, was planted right on my property...
how I remember which is which.
The next year I had concerns about the tree's survival and it needed some extra
attention. While watering the tree one day, I noticed a small developing plant
underneath it...it appeared to be similar to a Blanket Flower, of which I have
many. I figured it was from a seed nature sowed from one of the nearby plants. I
had, now that I think about it, sowed some various seeds the same year I planted
the tree, but as I recall that was earlier in the year. I planted the tree in
September, and any seeds landing or deliberately sown that late in the year have
little chance of developing enough to survive the Canadian winter....under the
shelter of a tree or not.
I moved the plant to a sunnier spot in my garden in 2003, hoping for blooms,
which I didn't get that year.
In 2004, the plant bloomed...2 or 3 blooms. My first reaction was 'Wow, what is
this?" And then I recalled moving the little plantling the year before. It is
not a Blanket Flower (for nongardeners that's a small yellow and burgandy brown
daisy)....it is not a Purple Coneflower (I have lots of those...purple daisies
:>)) and it is not a Blackeyed Susie (a yellow daisy of sorts with brown
centers)....The bloom appears almost to be a bit of all three of them. It is
really beautiful...a queen....it is a large daisy-like flower, 9-14 cm diameter,
a large chocolate brown, cone- like center, velvety soft , surrounded by a
reddish brown colour, followed by a circling of an orangy yellow colour..but the
hues are blending into one another...its leaves are pale green, large, very
soft....fuzzy ...with burgandy stems, thick and also fuzzy..you can see the
soft, white hairy projections from the stems and leaves...
2005 was like the Sahara, but I got about 5 blooms I'd say.
This year, my mystery perennial is about 3 feet tall, and has given me 15 blooms
with two more to come that I can see. It is in full bloom earlier than usual (I
think we are headed for an early fall)...and these flowers are one of my longer
blooming perennials.
I have had no seedlings/ plantlings of this nature show up since then, although
I intend to try to propogate the plant by cuttings this year and harvest some
seeds. I'd like to send Valeria Secunda some seeds or be able to give her an
actual plant. I don't want to divide the plant yet.
Anyway....
Things that make you go ...."hmmm". This is one special flower for sure. Its a
beaut. And when I want to see something magnificent, something nice, something
mysteriously defiant of the odds, and something totally undeserved for which I
am grateful to posess, I have but to go to my backyard..
I will say that when I look at this beautiful plant, which has bloomed since
2004 and gets bigger and bigger, I remember some special people in NR. And this
experience would not be mine to enjoy had it not been for NR.
There is good in our republic. Often the challenges and difficult
situations....these 'weeds' of sorts we encounter obscure our vision of a
prettier focal point. We grow tired and disenchanted. This does not mean that we
should ignore our problems and not look for solutions, but that we should
retreat from that battle from time to time for just a little while and view the
'flowers' of our experiences here....our joys, laughters, jokes...whether its
having a chat with someone on the phone, skype, IM, or feasting at a gathering.
I think the Ludi serve as an oasis of retreat....they give us a chance to
reflect on our most important priorities...to remind us why we are here...to
celebrate our collective appreciation of the special things Rome left for us to
appreciate. And friendship. Whether we are hosting, participating or just
enjoying the spectacles...we enjoy each other, share a few much needed laughs
and renew ourselves. And we often manage to learn a little along the way too.
On behalf of both Consuls, may you have good fortune and many blessings ( and
for those of us in the summer season, do enjoy the rest of it...I really do
think we are headed for an early fall.)
Valete!
CLOSING :
Curule Aediles, T. Iulius Sabinus and C. Equitius Cato,
declare Ludi Victoriae 2759 a.U.c closed.
Our thanks to participants
