Below is a post I just released to my His-Story Blog, I am rather pleased with it :) So I am posting it on here too. Enjoy!
...Emperors were at the top of the food chain in Rome. They were obeyed and feared given the fact they possessed such a great amount of power. Still, being emperor came with its own set of aggravations and trials. They had a reputation to uphold, an empire to run, and of course, the the threat of assassination was ever present. An emperor could be good or bad, respected or disliked : and we have a wide selection of both to interview.
...For today's interest I have arranged the following interview with two of Romes most famous Emperors - no easy task let me assure you.)I had to go back in time twice because these emperors lived and died in separate stages)
People, let me introduce our guests today. Emperor Augustus and Emperor Nero.
Press(Me:) - "Emperors do you mind telling us your time frame ; when did you become Emperor, things like that?"
Augustus - " I became Emperor in the year 27 B.C and am ruling even now."
Nero - "My excellent self received authority in the year 54 A.D. just forty years after Augustus."
Press - " And what allot has happened in that forty year time! What do you think has been the biggest change since Augustus rule?"
Nero - "It is hard to say, but I believe Augustus was more modest as an Emperor - not wanting to offend the Senate and general rabble. I however am like a god to my subjects and they love me! I have grander schemes and - "
Augustus - "And you spend money more freely. Really Nero, its like you think Rome is made of gold! You and future Emperors like you will destroy all that I have sought to build."
Nero - "You don't know that! You act as though Rome belonged to you just because you started something new! I am creating more than an Empire, I am creating a world fit for the gods!"
Augustus - "Namely yourself. Is it not true that you command your subjects to practically worship you? Its insufferable, no true Roman could bear it!"
Press - "Emperors! You bring up some excellent points, which beg a question from me. Is it true Nero that you are executing Christians for refusing to you and other Roman 'gods' ?"
Augustus - "See! That's just the thing I'm talking about! Heavens above, great Jupiter, what are you getting us into O predecessor?"
Press - "Augustus, please. Let Nero speak."
Nero - " Upon my word, I find it hard to answer these direct accusations from one who has been dead forty years! You have no idea how troublesome a place Rome has become great Caesar, it is not what it was in your time. The Christians embody just one of our pestilences, all dissenters must be brought to reason! I must have proper respect!"
Augustus - "I suppose killing them has brought you this, ahem, respect?"
Nero - "Well, you don't understand , I,- "
Press - "Speaking of respect, what is it that you two do as Emperors that garners respect from Roman citizens?"
Augustus - "I have Romes best interest at heart. Every day I listen to the Senate, read reports, and grant pardons. It rests with me to protect our borders and promote our interests. I also appoint men to office as governors of provinces. Mine is a weighty task which I cannot take lightly."
Press - "Nero? How about you?"
Nero - "Hmm, well. I can see the advantages in Augustus' duties, and I do acquit myself often of those tasks. But he has left something important out. I arrange games for the masses! Give the people bread and a circus and they will love you! I arrange gladiatorial fights, races, plays -"
Augustus - "Murders?"
Nero - "Of course not! Didn't you hear me? Are you referring to the Christians again? I told you, they are disturbers of the peace!?
Press - " Would now be a good time for me to mention that I am a Christian?"
Nero - "Ye gods! can it be so?"
Augustus - " I guess your little efforts to stamp Christians out didn't work, eh big boy?"
Nero - "But I've been trying so hard - are you sure we are talking about the same thing?"
Press - "Absolutely positive. Which reminds me of another question which may solve a centuries old mystery. Did
you set fire to Rome and frame the Christians?"
Augustus - "He did what! O my Jupiter! Rome, my beloved city - you set it on fire?
Hermes, I'll hamstring you..."
Nero - "Preposterous! I can't believe what I'm hearing, all lies! Can it be that there is any doubt in modern historians minds as to
who set fire to Rome?"
Augustus - " I don't know about them, but there sure is in my mind!"
Nero - "I didn't do it! It was those trouble making, ungrateful, stubborn Christ-followers. But since the damage is done, I may as well tell you Augustus that I am rebuilding Rome on a far grander, richer, scale than you did."
Augustus - "I bet you are, thou avaritius aper!"
Nero - "O really, fur furem cognoscit, et lupum lupus!"
Press - "Well this interview has run out of time. Besides, our guests have relapsed into Latin. I guess we will not know the answer to history's question after all, I leave it up to you to decide if Nero speaks truth."
Press - "Thank you Emperors for your time, I know it is valuable."
Augustus - "Aye,
some of us have work to do."
Nero - "Hey! I have to attend a banquet being held in my honor, oversee a gladiatorial fight, travel to my country villa - nerves you know ...."
Press - "Goodnight gentlemen."
(I'm posting this here as well as on my His Story blog. Go here to read the first Chapter review)
...To keep things simple for readers I am going to attempt to follow the same layout every post. As follows;
1. This section will introduce the chapters title, time frame, and introductory notes. It may even include some historical background of interest. As evident by the color, this section will be BLUE.
2. Very important! This part is devoted entirely to defining terms that may, or may not, come up. Enjoy! (Color Key, RED)
3. The BLACK and white of things. Section three will contain actual facts, quotes, and key points in the chapter.
4. Here I will preach at you, or root for you, which ever you prefer, trying to hone in on the moral dilemmas, valuable lessons to be gleaned, and touch on the Puritans examples; whether good or ill. I'm running out of colors, so PURPLE will alert you when its time to rebury the old man - he has a way of popping up and making us look proud doesn't he?
5. The funnies and interesting little tidbits aside from the big picture. Here you can laugh, or debate, all you want. If you prefer the original spelling of burden, burthen, and resent the change, you can quibble about it here. (Along with Honour instead of Honor, Powre instead of Pour, and so on...) Also included will be the inevitable rabbit trails such as, but not limited to, Bradford's opinions on rulers and governments. (Color key, ORANGE. A good protestant color.)
6. And finally we come to section six. It can be summed up in two very succinct words; SNEAK PEAK. Color key? Do we really need one? This section will be ITALICIZED.
...The numbers will also be included for even better reference. Can you tell I'm worried my readers might drown in the pool of verbalization? or get lost in the trees of redundant repetition? Beware!
...Yesterday I started reading William Bradford's history of Plymouth Plantation. During study time I had a great idea, why not make an online series of notes on the diary?
..."Of Plymouth Plantation" is a rare firsthand account of the struggles and victories one little band of faithful pilgrims endured in the arduous journey from persecution to freedom. It is full of insights into our roots, sacrifices every faithful christian should stand for, and miraculous escapes from the very maws of death. William Bradford began penning the diary after the Mayflower landed on Massachusetts shore and continued to write after the fact, covering time from 1620 - 1647 A.D. Anyone wanting to understand this godly man and the puritans of New England should not skip this book! (Despite its often archaic prose, spelling, and impressive size!)
...I will be recording my chapter by chapter thoughts and reviews over on my history blog, here. Included will be juicy little tidbits like the following;
...Bradford's opinions concerning "gracious Queen Elizabeth", to use his own words.
...The state of England's reformation at the time, compared to Scotland, Geneva, France, and the Netherlands.
...Good old Puritan common sense!
...Be checking over there for more in the next couple days!
Recently our family took my Grandparents and Cousin to a Texas Civil War Museum. It was an exciting experience! I was really surprised to see some of the things they had there, I had no idea Texas had such an extensive museum.
They divided the museum into two sides, on the left were the Union displays and on the right the Confederate's. I jumped back and forth taking pictures of both, though there are more pictures of the Rebels - seeing that I'm partial :) Below is a small sampling of the pictures, I took nearly two hundred and plan to take more when we go back. My family bought a pass for the year and are already planning to take a certain foursome of south Texas friends when they next come up.
I included a link to the rest of the pictures at the end...Enjoy!
This was one of my favorite displays.... These are pretty rare.
One of the first things we saw when we came in. A Rebel knife of disturbing proportions to say the very least.
Here is one of the few pictures with "people" in it. I mostly took pictures of the displays.
This is my Grandpa with some uniforms. He was born in New York and has Yankee sympathies :) So I took the next picture just for him.
Its a New York Artillery flag.
Who says the war didn't come to Texas?
I really liked this quote....
I got tired of counting how many U.S. "manuals" there were on display. It was rather amusing after awhile.
Here is another of my favorite displays...
Jeb Stuarts spurs...
A Texan soldiers rebel "slouch" hat.
They had some beautiful dresses at the end, but I had unwittingly used up both memory space and battery in the camera. So I will have to get more detailed pictures of them next time. This was one of my favorites...
Below is the link to the Picassa Album I made for the Civil War museum trip...
Below is a post I just released to my His-Story Blog, I am rather pleased with it :) So I am posting it on here too. Enjoy!
...Emperors were at the top of the food chain in Rome. They were obeyed and feared given the fact they possessed such a great amount of power. Still, being emperor came with its own set of aggravations and trials. They had a reputation to uphold, an empire to run, and of course, the the threat of assassination was ever present. An emperor could be good or bad, respected or disliked : and we have a wide selection of both to interview.
...For today's interest I have arranged the following interview with two of Romes most famous Emperors - no easy task let me assure you.)I had to go back in time twice because these emperors lived and died in separate stages)
People, let me introduce our guests today. Emperor Augustus and Emperor Nero.
Press(Me:) - "Emperors do you mind telling us your time frame ; when did you become Emperor, things like that?"
Augustus - " I became Emperor in the year 27 B.C and am ruling even now."
Nero - "My excellent self received authority in the year 54 A.D. just forty years after Augustus."
Press - " And what allot has happened in that forty year time! What do you think has been the biggest change since Augustus rule?"
Nero - "It is hard to say, but I believe Augustus was more modest as an Emperor - not wanting to offend the Senate and general rabble. I however am like a god to my subjects and they love me! I have grander schemes and - "
Augustus - "And you spend money more freely. Really Nero, its like you think Rome is made of gold! You and future Emperors like you will destroy all that I have sought to build."
Nero - "You don't know that! You act as though Rome belonged to you just because you started something new! I am creating more than an Empire, I am creating a world fit for the gods!"
Augustus - "Namely yourself. Is it not true that you command your subjects to practically worship you? Its insufferable, no true Roman could bear it!"
Press - "Emperors! You bring up some excellent points, which beg a question from me. Is it true Nero that you are executing Christians for refusing to you and other Roman 'gods' ?"
Augustus - "See! That's just the thing I'm talking about! Heavens above, great Jupiter, what are you getting us into O predecessor?"
Press - "Augustus, please. Let Nero speak."
Nero - " Upon my word, I find it hard to answer these direct accusations from one who has been dead forty years! You have no idea how troublesome a place Rome has become great Caesar, it is not what it was in your time. The Christians embody just one of our pestilences, all dissenters must be brought to reason! I must have proper respect!"
Augustus - "I suppose killing them has brought you this, ahem, respect?"
Nero - "Well, you don't understand , I,- "
Press - "Speaking of respect, what is it that you two do as Emperors that garners respect from Roman citizens?"
Augustus - "I have Romes best interest at heart. Every day I listen to the Senate, read reports, and grant pardons. It rests with me to protect our borders and promote our interests. I also appoint men to office as governors of provinces. Mine is a weighty task which I cannot take lightly."
Press - "Nero? How about you?"
Nero - "Hmm, well. I can see the advantages in Augustus' duties, and I do acquit myself often of those tasks. But he has left something important out. I arrange games for the masses! Give the people bread and a circus and they will love you! I arrange gladiatorial fights, races, plays -"
Augustus - "Murders?"
Nero - "Of course not! Didn't you hear me? Are you referring to the Christians again? I told you, they are disturbers of the peace!?
Press - " Would now be a good time for me to mention that I am a Christian?"
Nero - "Ye gods! can it be so?"
Augustus - " I guess your little efforts to stamp Christians out didn't work, eh big boy?"
Nero - "But I've been trying so hard - are you sure we are talking about the same thing?"
Press - "Absolutely positive. Which reminds me of another question which may solve a centuries old mystery. Did you set fire to Rome and frame the Christians?"
Augustus - "He did what! O my Jupiter! Rome, my beloved city - you set it on fire? Hermes, I'll hamstring you..."
Nero - "Preposterous! I can't believe what I'm hearing, all lies! Can it be that there is any doubt in modern historians minds as to who set fire to Rome?"
Augustus - " I don't know about them, but there sure is in my mind!"
Nero - "I didn't do it! It was those trouble making, ungrateful, stubborn Christ-followers. But since the damage is done, I may as well tell you Augustus that I am rebuilding Rome on a far grander, richer, scale than you did."
Augustus - "I bet you are, thou avaritius aper!"
Nero - "O really, fur furem cognoscit, et lupum lupus!"
Press - "Well this interview has run out of time. Besides, our guests have relapsed into Latin. I guess we will not know the answer to history's question after all, I leave it up to you to decide if Nero speaks truth."
Press - "Thank you Emperors for your time, I know it is valuable."
Augustus - "Aye, some of us have work to do."
Nero - "Hey! I have to attend a banquet being held in my honor, oversee a gladiatorial fight, travel to my country villa - nerves you know ...."
Press - "Goodnight gentlemen."
