Jackie wins the dubious privilege of having dinner with me Friday night at the end of the month. Tell me what you want to eat. Suggest a dessert and if you want, invite a friend.
JimBob is taking his a bit differently, and will not be joining us at table.
1 - The night he died, Marshall Maurice de Saxe (D. 1650) "entertained" four "actresses" in his quarters. The official cause of Death on the certificate reads (pardon my spelling) "Une surfeit des Femmes" or as said in plain English "Too many women."
We all must go at one time or another, but were I single, that would not be a bad way.
2 – The B-52 bomber is referred to as a BUFF. For what does the anacronym stand?
Big Ugly Flying F#%ker or Big Ugly Fat F#%ker
3 – There is one instance of a father and son both earning the Congressional Medal of Honor (albeit at different times) and living through their experiences. Who are they?
Arthur and Douglas MacArthur. Arthur for planting and guarding the regimental colors as a first Lt in the ACW (well deserved) and his son for being an [strike]egotistical[/strike] brilliant strategist who did a bunch of things, none deserving of the award, but he had friends in high places (though not Eisenhower or Marshall.
4 – Moments after saying “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance” what occurred. Give names and the battle.
Sedgwick fell at the beginning of the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, on May 9, 1864. His corps was probing skirmish lines ahead of the left flank of Confederate defenses and he was directing artillery placements. Confederate sharpshooters were about 1,000 yards (910 m) away and their shots caused members of his staff and artillerymen to duck for cover. Sedgwick strode around in the open and was quoted as saying, "What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line? I am ashamed of you. They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance." Although ashamed, his men continued to flinch and he repeated, "I'm ashamed of you, dodging that way. They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance." Just seconds later he fell forward with a bullet hole below his left eye.
Sedgwick was the highest ranking Union casualty in the Civil War. Although James B. McPherson was in command of an army at the time of his death and Sedgwick of a corps, Sedgwick had the most senior rank by date of all major generals killed. Upon hearing of his death, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant repeatedly asked, "Is he really dead?"
5 – Ethan Allen, a horrible general (but a great line of furniture) on his deathbed in response to his physician’s comforting words “General, I fear the angels are waiting for you” said
"Waiting Are They? Waiting Are They? Well--let 'em Wait."
6 – Tell the story behind the quote "The wife of Caesar must be above suspicion."
As part of the Corsus Honorum (the course of honor) that all Roman Senators trod onthe path to greatness,was the requirement to serve as Pontifix Maximus, head of the State Church. As such,his wife oversaw the Feast of the Vestal Virgins, during which no man was allowed in the house proper. One of Caesar's fellow Senators had the hots for her, and doubtless with Julius' connivance (Caesar's first was a marriage of money for power, with no love) dressed as a woman and entered the compound to piech his woo.
Shortly after, he ran, sans disguise, past a gaggle of senators including Julius who were standing around doing the equivalent of drinking and smoking cigars. The law had been broken, a man was in the house, and adultery was charged.
The jury consisted of 99 men, 33 each of the Senatorial, Equestrian, and Plebian classes. Rome, in its vast wisdom had laws against bribing senators, so Caesar bribed all 33 Plebes, and 17 Equestrians (the classes were based upon wealth, and Plebes had less and were cheaper to bribe). After the Not Guilty verdict came in (Seneca was one of the witnesses and was not surprised that no one believed any of the myriad of observers, all of whom knew the accused very well by sight), Caesar divorced his wife with the comment that "The wife of Caesar must be above suspicion."
Our politicians today are pikers, mere amateurs. Hail Caesar!
I owe this story to Dr. Evelyn Clift, a brilliant Scholar whose class in Julio-Claudian Rome was a marvel. In addition to teaching required courses in the Philosphy dept, her field was Ancient History, although she also taught graduate Latin and Greek. My graduate courses with her were wonderful seminars, rich and fulfilling. RIP.
Edwin Haroldson
Loremaster
Master of the Mages' Guild
An ethical person does the right thing when no one is watching.
OOG - Charlie Spiegel - Kitchen Marshal
"War is a matter of vital importance to the State..."
