{"id":3121,"date":"2009-12-09T20:27:59","date_gmt":"2009-12-09T20:27:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/?p=3121"},"modified":"2009-12-09T20:27:59","modified_gmt":"2009-12-09T20:27:59","slug":"more-sources-for-the-meaning-of-bruma-winter-solstice-midwinter-etc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/2009\/12\/09\/more-sources-for-the-meaning-of-bruma-winter-solstice-midwinter-etc\/","title":{"rendered":"More sources for the meaning of “bruma”; winter solstice? midwinter? etc"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following this post<\/a>, in which I listed the supposed sources for the meaning of the term “bruma”\u00a0and quoted some, I have been looking up some more.\u00a0 The English translations are not specially concerned with this word, so should be treated only as a guide.<\/p>\n

Ovid, Fasti<\/em>, book 1, line 163:<\/p>\n

\n

quaesieram multis; non multis ille moratus
\ncontulit in versus sic sua verba duos:
\n‘bruma<\/strong> novi prima est veterisque novissima solis:
\nprincipium capiunt Phoebus et annus idem.’\u00a0 (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n

[161] Thus questioned I at length; he answered prompt and tersely,
\nthrowing his words into twain verses, thus:
\n\u201cMidwinter<\/strong> is the beginning of the new sun and the end of the old one.
\nPhoebus and the year take their start from the same point.\u201d\u00a0 (from here<\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0Cicero, Epistulae ad familiares<\/em> (Letters to his friends) 3.7.3:<\/p>\n

\n

Quid? cum dabas iis litteras, per quas mecum agebas, ne eos impedirem, quo minus ante hiemem aedificarent, non eos ad me venturos arbitrabare? tametsi id quidem fecerunt ridicule; quas enim litteras afferebant, ut opus aestate facere possent, eas mihi post brumam<\/strong> reddiderunt. (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n

What! at the time you delivered that letter to them, in which you remonstrated with me against preventing them from finishing their building before winter, did you suppose that they would not come to me? However, on that point, at least, they made a ridiculous blunder: for the letter they brought with them asking to be allowed to carry on the work in the summer, they delivered to me after midwinter<\/strong>. (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Caesar, Gallic Wars<\/em> 5.5:<\/p>\n

\n

In hoc medio cursu est insula, quae appellatur Mona: complures praeterea minores subiectae insulae existimantur, de quibus insulis nonnulli scripserunt dies continuos triginta sub bruma<\/strong> esse noctem. Nos nihil de eo percontationibus reperiebamus, nisi certis ex aqua mensuris breviores esse quam in continenti noctes videbamus. (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n

In the middle of this voyage, is an island, which is called Mona: many smaller islands besides are supposed to lie [there], of which islands some have written that at the time of the winter solstice<\/strong> it is night there for thirty consecutive days. We, in our inquiries about that matter, ascertained nothing, except that, by accurate measurements with water, we perceived the nights to be shorter there than on the continent. (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Vitruvius 9.3.3:<\/p>\n

\n

3. scorpionem autem cum sol ingressus fuerit occidentibus vergiliis, minuit progrediens ad meridianas partes longitudines dierum. escorpione cum percurrendo init in sagittarium ad femina eius, contractiorem diurnum pervolat cursum. cum autem incipit a feminibus sagittarii, quae pars est attributa capricorno, ad partem octavam, brevissimum caeli percurrit spatium. ex eo a brevitate diurna bruma<\/strong> ac dies brumalis<\/strong> appellantur. e capricorno autem transiens in aquarium adauget ex aequa sagittarii longitudine diei spatium. ab aquario cum ingressus est in pisces favonio flante, scorpionis comparat aequalem fursum. ita sol ea signa circum pervagando certis temporibus auget aut minuit dierum et horarum spatia. Nunc de ceteris sideribus quae sunt dextra ac sinistra zonam signorum meridiana septentrionalique parte mundi stellis disposita figurataque dicam. (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n

3. When the sun enters into Scorpio at the setting of the Pleiades, he diminishes, in passing to the southern parts, the length of the days; and from Scorpio passing to a point near the thighs of Sagittarius, he makes a shorter diurnal circuit. Then beginning from the thighs of Sagittarius, which are in Capricornus, at the eighth part of the latter he makes the shortest course in the heavens. This time from the shortness of the days, is called Bruma<\/strong> (winter) and the days Brumales<\/strong>. From Capricornus passing into Aquarius, the length of days is increased to that of those when he was in Sagittarius. From Aquarius he passes into Pisces at the time that the west wind blows; and his course is equal to that he made in Scorpio. Thus the sun travelling through these signs at stated times, increases and diminishes the duration of the days and hours. I shall now treat of the other constellations on the right and left side of the zodiac, as well those on the south as on the north side of the heavens. (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Livy 43.18.1:<\/p>\n

\n

[18] Perseus principio hiemis egredi Macedoniae finibus non ausus, ne qua in regnum uacuum inrumperent Romani, sub tempus brumae<\/strong>, cum inexsuperabilis ab Thessalia montes niuis altitudo facit, occasionem esse ratus frangendi finitimorum spes animosque, ne quid auerso se in Romanum bellum periculi ab iis esset,… (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n

[43.18](B.C. 170-69) In the early days of winter Perseus did not venture beyond his frontiers for fear of the Romans attempting an invasion while he was absent from his kingdom. About mid-winter<\/strong>, however, when snow had blocked the mountain passes on the side of Thessaly, he thought it a good opportunity for crushing the hopes and spirits of his neighbours, so that there might be no danger from them while his attention was wholly devoted to the war with Rome. (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Columella, De arboribus<\/em> (On trees) 24:<\/p>\n

\n

XXIV [1] Piros autumno ante brumam<\/strong> serito, ita ut minime dies quinqueet viginti ad brumam supersint. Quae ut sint feraces, cum iam adoleverint, alte ablaqueato et iuxta ipsam radicem truncum findito. In fissuram cuneumpineum tedae adicito et ibi relinquito; deinde obruta oblaqueatione cineremsupra terram spargito. (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n

[English translation to be found]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Manilius 2.404.<\/p>\n

\n

Temporibus quoque sunt propriis pollentia signa:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 265
\naestas a Geminis, autumnus Virgine surgit,
\nbruma<\/strong> Sagittifero, ver Piscibus incipit esse.
\nquattuor in partes scribuntur sidera terna;
\nhiberna aestivis, autumni verna repugnant.
\n…
\nquod si forte libet, quae sunt contraria, signa
\nper titulos celebrare suos sedesque, memento
\nsolstitium brumae<\/strong>, Capricornum opponere Cancro,
\nLanigerum Librae (par nox in utroque diesque est),\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 405
\nPiscibus Erigonen, iuvenique urnaeque Leonem;
\nScorpios e summo cum fulget, Taurus in imo est,
\net cadit Arcitenens Geminis orientibus orbi.\u00a0 (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n

[English translation]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Censorinus, De die Natali<\/em> (The birthday book) 21:<\/p>\n

\n

[12] Initia autem istorum annorum propterea notavi, ne quis eos aut ex kal. Januariis aut ex aliquo tempore simul putaret incipere, cum in iis conditorum voluntates non minus diversae sint, quam opiniones philosophorum:[13] idcirco aliis a novo sole, id est a bruma<\/strong>, aliis ab aestivo solstitio, plerisque ab aequinoctio verno, partim ab autumnali aequinoctio, quibusdam ab ortu vergiliarum, nonnullis ab earum occasu, multis a canis exortu incipere annus naturalis videtur. (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n

I have indicated at what epoch these years commence, so that nobody should suppose they always dated from the calends of January, or from any other like day; because on the question of aeras, one does not find less diversity among the statements of their founders than amongst the opinions of the philosophers. Some make the natural year commence at the Birth of the Sun, that is to say, at Brumalia<\/strong>, and others at the Summer Solstice; some make it the Vernal Equinox, and others the Autumnal Equinox; some at the rising and some at the setting of the Pleiades, while still others fix it at the rising of the Canicular star. (from here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

J’ai d\u00fb indiquer \u00e0 quelle \u00e9poque commencent ces ann\u00e9es, pour emp\u00eacher qu’on ne pens\u00e2t qu’elles commen\u00e7aient toujours aux calendes de janvier, ou \u00e0 quelque autre jour semblable ; car, sur la question des diverses \u00e8res, on ne remarque pas moins de divergence dans les volont\u00e9s de leurs fondateurs que dans les opinions des philosophes. Aussi les uns font-ils commencer l’ann\u00e9e naturelle au lever du soleil nouveau, c’est-\u00e0-dire en hiver, les autres au solstice d’\u00e9t\u00e9, plusieurs \u00e0 l’\u00e9quinoxe de printemps, les autres \u00e0 l’\u00e9quinoxe d’automne, ceux-ci au lever, ceux-l\u00e0 au coucher des Pl\u00e9iades, d’autres enfin au lever de la Canicule. (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Pliny the Elder, Natural History<\/em>, book 18:\u00a0 (There are several references, which I must work on more):<\/p>\n

\n

221:\u00a0horae nunc in omni accessione aequinoctiales, non cuiuscumque die significantur \u2014, omnesque eae differentiae fiunt in octavis partibus signorum, bruma<\/strong> capricorni a.\u00a0d. VIII kal. Ian. fere, aequinoctium vernum arietis, solstitium cancri, alterumque aequinoctium librae, qui et ipsi dies raro non aliquos tempestatum significatus habent. …<\/p>\n

227: miretur hoc qui non meminerit ipso brumali<\/strong> die puleium in carnariis florere….<\/p>\n

231: a\u00a0kal. Novemb. gallinis ova supponere nolito, donec bruma<\/strong> conficiatur. in eum diem ternadena subicito aestate tota, hieme pauciora, non tamen infra novena. Democritus talem futuram hiemem arbitratur, qualis fuerit brumae dies et circa eum terni; item solstitio aestatem. circa brumam<\/strong> plerisque bis septeni halcyonum feturae ventorum quiete molliunt caelum. sed et in his et in aliis omnibus ex eventu significationum intellegi sidera debebunt, non ad dies utique praefinitos expectari tempestatum vadimonia.<\/p>\n

<\/a>lxiii<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 232:\u00a0Per brumam<\/strong> vitem ne colito. vina tum defaecari vel etiam diffundi Hyginus suadet a\u00a0confecta ea septimo die, utique si septima luna conpetat; cerasa circa brumam<\/strong> seri. bubus glandem tum adspergi convenit in iuga singula modios. largior valetudinem infestat, et quocumque tempore detur, si minus xxx diebus continuis data sit, narrant verna scabie poenitere. materiae caedendae tempus hoc dedimus. …<\/p>\n

lxiv<\/strong>\u00a0 234:\u00a0A\u00a0bruma<\/strong> in favonium Caesari nobilia sidera significant, III\u00a0kal.\u00a0Ian. matutino canis occidens, quo die Atticae et finitimis regionibus aquila vesperi occidere traditur. pridie nonas Ian. Caesari delphinus matutino exoritur et postero die fidicula, quo Aegypto sagitta vesperi occidit. (from here<\/a>)<\/p>\n

221: The winter solstice<\/strong> begins at the eighth degree of Capricorn, the eighth day before the calends of January, in general…<\/p>\n

[More English to be added, when I can find it]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Others to find: Terence Ph. 709; Cicero Div. 2.52; solis accessus discessusque solstitiis brumisque cognosci; Cicero\u00a0Natura Deorum\u00a02.19.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Following this post, in which I listed the supposed sources for the meaning of the term “bruma”\u00a0and quoted some, I have been looking up some more.\u00a0 The English translations are not specially concerned with this word, so should be treated only as a guide. Ovid, Fasti, book 1, line 163: quaesieram multis; non multis ille […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2],"tags":[170,347],"class_list":["post-3121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ancient-world","tag-ancient-world","tag-brumalia"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3121"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3121\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}