Conference thebay::joyoflex

    The city was probably named after Cincinnatus, a 5th century Roman
    general.  There was also Society of the Cincinnati in 18th and 19th
    century America (made up of Revolutionary War veterans) - the society
    was named after the Roman.  All these people, so far as anyone knows,
    were straight - so I doubt that the notion of 'curl' enters into
    the source of the city's name.
    
    Bernie

re .-1

	Cincinnatus (Lucius or Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus), fl. 5th cent. 
	B.C., Roman patriot.  He was consul (460 B.C.) and dictator twice (458 
	and 439).  According to tradition, he was called from his farm to 
	defend Rome twice, first from foreign invaders, then from plebians.

	-The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia - New York 1983, p. 171

Larry

    I always thought that Cincinnati was just another word taken from the
    American Indians, however, the earlier notes do sound reasonable.  I'll
    have to check it out.

    The way I've always heard it was that the city is actually named
    for George Washington, who was often referred to as "The American
    Cincinnatus" -- the high-minded gentleman-statesman who left
    his farm to save and serve his country, etc. 
    
    I was under the impression that Cincinnatus was the Roman
    general's nickname, given because he had curly hair.  
    
    --bonnie

    From the American Automobile Association's TourBook [sic] of
    Illinois/Indiana/Ohio (1988):
    
        Cincinnati was first platted in 1788 by three land speculators
        who established settlers here that winter.  The town was named
        Lousantiville, intended to mean "the town opposite the mouth
        of the Licking," but the governor of the Northwest Territories
        renamed the village after the Revolutionary War officers'
        society.   [Ed. Note: the TourBook does not specify which
        society, but presumably the Society of the Cincinnati to which
        Bernie alluded in 505.1]

        ...

        By 1850 Cincinnati was the world's largest pork-packing
        center, a status that gained it the dubious nickname Porkopolis.

Lew Lasher

    re .-2
    
>        I was under the impression that Cincinnatus was the Roman
>    general's nickname, given because he had curly hair.  

    Yes, "cincinnatus" was an adjective meaning "who has curly hair";
    it was the nickname of L. Quinctius. 
    He was this farmer/general who saved the country, and, when asked if
    he would keep the power for himself, replied: "No thanks, I prefer to 
    go back to my plough".
    
    My dictionary also mentions the expression "cincinnata stella"
    (literally curly star) which was used by Cicero to talk about a comet.
    
    	roger

Re: L. Quinctius Cincinnatus & other Romans.

Lots of Roman names are nicknames (like Curly).   It gives quite a different 
flavour when reading about Roman history, if the proper names are translated 
as well.

    Isn't one of the later Emporers nicknamed "little boots"? 
    
    --bonnie

    Hmm. I wonder if Cincinnatus's reply to being asked to defend Rome
    was, "Coitenly!"
    
    	Jon

    I believe that Nero was also called Ahenobarbus, meaning "Redbeard."
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    A caligua was the heavy marching sandal of the Roman army.
    Caligula was Bootsie.
    
    							Ann B.

    Ah, yes, that's the one I was thinking of.
    
    Somehow he doesn't sound nearly as nasty as Bootsie as he does when
    he's Caligula. 
    
    --bonnie

    To continue this enjoyable tangent, the Asterix books are full of
    apt Roman sounding names for the (wait for it...) Romans. Such as
    the Roman champion at the Olympics, Gluteus Maximus, or the rather
    dozy guard Centurion Somniferus. A joy to read, these books.
    
    Ian.
    

    The French names too; but the jokes are lost (ignored) in the
    English translation.  The bard - no idea what he is in the Englished
    edition - is Assurancetourix (but that's another note).

    b

.14�< Note 505.14 by MARVIN::KNOWLES "Sliding down the razorblade of life" >
.14�                             -< A tangent too far >-
.14�
.14�    The French names too; but the jokes are lost (ignored) in the
.14�    English translation.  The bard - no idea what he is in the Englished
.14�    edition - is Assurancetourix (but that's another note).

    Ah, but I beg to differ. The jokes are not lost, but translated
    to appeal to a British sense of humour. For example Asterix In Britain.
    The British have this odd habit of drinking hot water in the afternoon,
    and Getafix (the druid) has the idea of putting some leaves in it
    to give a little flavour. There are double decker chariots, GLC 
    (Greater Latin Council) houses etc etc. The bard is called Cacofonix,
    the fish monger is called Unhygenix, and that's about all I can
    remember at the moment. If you haven't read these, then do so.
    
    Ian.

    I've never been that devoted a fan of the Asterix comics albums,
    though I've enjoyed them when I've read friends' copies. I've
    seen translations into various languages, and am most impressed
    by the ability of the various translators to either translate
    the puns into the new language, or provide meaningful substitute
    puns.
    
    --- jerry

    Re .8
    
    "Little boots" was Claudius
    
    Nick

    Re -.1
    
    Oh that I had read the post .8 notes, and then I would have saved
    the shame of saying that they are right, Caligula = boots.
    
    Still, better to have tried and failed, than never to have had the
    courage to try at all - I say in self-defence :-)
    
    Nick